Remirez de Ganuza
Modern Rioja Benchmark – Founded in 1989 by Fernando Remírez de Ganuza, the winery redefined Rioja Alavesa with a precision-driven, terroir-focused approach.
Vineyard-First Philosophy – Over 80 hectares of meticulously selected vineyards across top Rioja villages, farmed to produce wines of structure, depth, and ageability.
Pioneering Techniques – Innovative methods like separating grape clusters and gentle water-bag pressing result in wines of purity and finesse.
A Legacy Evolving – Now led by José Ramón Urtasun, the estate continues to push boundaries while staying true to its founder’s original vision.
Remírez de Ganuza – Rioja Alavesa, Redefined
In the heart of Rioja Alavesa, nestled in the village of Samaniego, Remírez de Ganuza has been redefining the region’s wine landscape since its founding in 1989. The vision belonged to Fernando Remírez de Ganuza, a seasoned vineyard broker with a deep understanding of Rioja's terroirs. Rather than establishing a winery around a single estate, he assembled an intricate patchwork of top-quality vineyards spread across prestigious villages such as Leza, Elciego, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Laguardia, and Ábalos. This approach laid the foundation for wines that are complex, precise, and built to age.
From the beginning, the philosophy at Remírez de Ganuza has been one of rigor and innovation. Fernando believed that great wine begins in the vineyard, and over the decades the estate grew to encompass more than 80 hectares, planted primarily with Tempranillo, along with Graciano, Viura, and Malvasía. This deep connection to place was matched by a pioneering spirit in the cellar. One of the winery’s signature practices, separating grape bunches into "shoulders" and "tips", is emblematic of its precision. Only the shoulders, which contain riper, more balanced berries, are used for the top wines. Another hallmark is the use of a unique water-filled “bag-in-box” system for pressing, designed to preserve delicacy and purity of fruit.
The result of this meticulous work is a portfolio of wines that consistently rank among Rioja’s most compelling. The flagship red, Remírez de Ganuza Reserva, blends Tempranillo with touches of Graciano and sometimes white grapes, aged in new French oak for structure and finesse. Trasnocho, made using the bag-in-box method, shows depth and a contemporary elegance, while Erre Punto explores the heritage of carbonic maceration with a nod to Rioja’s more playful side. The whites, too, speak of ambition and depth, particularly the Blanco Reserva, a richly textured wine of Viura and Malvasía, and Olagar, a rare Gran Reserva white that reveals the extraordinary aging potential of the region’s old vines.
In 2019, a new chapter began with the Urtasun family taking full ownership. José Ramón Urtasun, now at the helm, brings a modern sensibility to the winery’s marketing and global strategy, while Fernando continues to oversee vineyard management, ensuring the continuity of his meticulous vision. Today, Remírez de Ganuza remains a benchmark for serious, cellar-worthy Rioja: innovative, elegant, and deeply rooted in the land from which it comes.