Olivier Riviere Rioja Tinto Ganko 2018

The blend for this, probably my favourite wine from Olivier, has changed and it’s now a 50/50 blend of Garnacha and Mazuelo (Carignan), which provides acidity and a vertical sensation like no other vintage of Ganko in the past. This is all from the village of Cárdenas in the Alto Najerilla in Rioja Alta, from high altitude (600m), old vines on sandy soils in a zone where only a bunch of small plots remain because it’s hard to work. Rivière believes in this area to the point that he has purchased land to plant vineyards on some of the slopes. This has a lovely coolness and edge to the ripples of pure and vivid fruit it exudes; brilliant wine. Importer’s Notes.