There was once a special historical relationship between Bordeaux and Rioja, because when phylloxera ravaged Europe at the end of the 19th century, many winegrowers temporarily relocated from the Gironde to the famous Spanish region to seek their fortune as winegrowers there. Olivier Rivière also followed this path, albeit without necessity, but out of love and passion for the Rioja region and its wines. In 2006, he founded his small and exclusive boutique winery. He acquired his skills through his oenological studies and experience in Burgundy, southwest France and Spain. He cultivates 1.5 of his own hectares biodynamically and buys selected grapes from around 6 hectares that are also cultivated sustainably. His extremely low yields, which do not even exceed 15 hectolitres/hectare, are a source of great astonishment among experts. His philosophy is as simple as it is effective: truly great wines are created in the vineyard, and he lets it run as it will. Fashionable "tuning" or whitewashing in the cellar are equally alien to him. Within a very short space of time, Olivier Rivière, or more precisely his wines, have become critics' favourites. They are characterised by authenticity, originality, great elegance and an impressive, profound complexity. However, there is also the "small" downer: the quantities are strictly limited, which is due in no small part to the high demand among Rioja fans.
