| Region of production: | Rioja Alavesa |
| Winery Location: | Oyón |
| Year Established: | 1861 |
Vineyard Holdings
650 ha
Top Wines Produced
- Faustino I Gran Reserva: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo, from estate-owned vineyards. The grapes undergo a 27-day maceration before being aged for 28 months in a combination of American (80%) and French (20%) oak barrels, followed by three years in bottle.
- Faustino V Reserva: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo. The fruit is macerated for 20 days, then aged in American oak casks for 17 months, with two years in the bottle before release.
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
Bodegas Faustino was established in 1861 by Euleuterio Martinez Arzok in the town of Oyón in Rioja Alavesa. The vineyards he purchased are situated at 1,200 to 1,800 feet in elevation on chalky soils, with a cooler climate thanks to their proximity to the Atlantic. The winery had humble beginnings, with Euleuterio selling his wine direct from the barrel, but several decades later, phylloxera decimated the vineyards. Euleuterio’s son, Faustino Martinez Pérez de Albériz, helped his father reconstruct the vineyards in the 1920s, laying the groundwork for the estate’s future international success.
It wasn’t until the family’s third generation, however, that the winery received its current name and received international acclaim. Faustino’s son, Julio Faustino Martinez, joined the family business in 1950s and named the winery as a tribute to his father. In the 1960s, the bodega began exporting its first wines, and it has since become the largest exporter of Reserva and Gran Reserva wines in Rioja.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Bodegas Faustino uses fruit solely from its estate vineyards and estate bottles all of its wines. The winery employs extended maceration, uses mostly American oak, and exceeds Rioja’s legal aging requirements.
Producer Website: Faustino