Tihom Blanco 2020

Land of forgotten whites

Since the 17th century, there are documents that point to a historical predominance of white grapes in Rioja. However, at the beginning of the 20th century, the arrival of phylloxera—a devastating plague of American origin—devastated the region's vineyards. This disaster, coupled with the growing demand for red grapes, led to a drastic "color change" in the vineyards and a regrettable loss of numerous native varieties, especially white ones.

In recent decades, renewed interest has emerged around these forgotten white varieties. Wineries, viticulturists, and the University of La Rioja have collaborated to explore the few old vineyards that still retain white vines, in search of these "lost varieties" with the potential to produce high-quality wines.

Of all of them, one stands out for its structure, complexity, and uniqueness: the Maturana Blanca. It was precisely with this variety that we began working, from the moment we had the opportunity to taste the first experimental wines made from it.

However, we felt the wines weren't complete, so we decided to "support" this one with another of Spain's great varieties: Garnacha Blanca. Although official records indicated that Garnacha Blanca vineyards remained almost nonexistent in Rioja after the phylloxera, in reality, this variety was found quite frequently in the highlands of old vineyards, usually mixed with Viura, which caused it to go unnoticed.

A union destined for success: the breadth and complexity of Maturana Blanca, enriched with the length, acidity, and minerality provided by Garnacha Blanca.

A great white wine, once again, avoiding the dominance of Viura in Rioja.