Why it matters
The producer
The Carcar family made a decision in 1723: they would farm the land at the confluence of the Ebro and Ega rivers on their own terms, with no chemical shortcuts, and sell wine under their own name. That commitment has passed through fourteen generations without a break. In southern Rioja, on the alluvial plain where the two rivers meet near Andosilla and San Adrián, the family farms 58 hectares of certified organic vineyards and ferments entirely with native yeasts.
Bagordi sits in the zone historically known as Rioja Baja, renamed Rioja Oriental in 2018 under Rioja DOCa's administrative reorganisation. The southern location means a warmer, drier growing season than Rioja Alta or Rioja Alavesa to the north and west. Garnacha thrives here alongside Tempranillo and Graciano. The range includes a Reserva and a Graciano Crianza among its named wines.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Andosilla lies in Navarra, at the far southern edge of the Rioja DOCa boundary, where the appellation meets the Ebro valley plain. The Ebro runs east along the estate's boundary; the Ega, a cooler tributary, joins it nearby. Together they moderate what would otherwise be a harsh continental Mediterranean climate, pulling moisture into the growing season and softening the temperature extremes of dry summers and cold winters.
The practical consequence for the wine is twofold. Alluvial soils deposited by the rivers give the 58 hectares a layered texture: sand and silt alternate with gravel and clay across different plots, each draining freely. Freer drainage keeps vines under controlled water stress, concentrating fruit without excessive alcohol. The warmer southern exposure pushes Tempranillo and Garnacha toward fuller body and richer fruit than the same varieties produce further north in Rioja Alta.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The 58 hectares are farmed entirely without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. The family works with the ecosystem rather than against it, adjusting timing and inputs to follow the vine's natural growth cycle. Soil maintenance relies on organic matter returned from the vineyard itself: vine prunings, grape marc, and other plant-derived material go back into the soil as compost, which sustains the microbial communities that feed the vine roots. Soil biology improves over years of this practice rather than diminishing under repeated chemical applications.
Fermentation uses native yeasts only. Commercial yeasts are bred for predictability and speed; native yeasts carry the microbial population of the specific vineyard and cellar, ferment more slowly, and produce a wider range of aromatic compounds. The family cites native yeast fermentation as the source of both the distinctive flavour character and the elevated antioxidant levels in the finished wine. The slower, more complex fermentation produces wines that the estate describes as healthier and more expressive than those made with commercial yeast.
Wines to know
The range in view
The named products include a Reserva, a Graciano Crianza, and a Gran Reserva, with the full current range not fully detailed in available sources. The three confirmed range positions map a clear hierarchy: the Graciano Crianza sits at the entry level, built around Graciano, a native Rioja grape known for high acidity, dark berry fruit, and firm tannin that ages well and adds spine to blends. The Reserva draws on Tempranillo as the principal variety, which in Rioja Oriental produces richer, fuller body than in the cooler northern zones. The Gran Reserva, the senior bottle, extends ageing and draws on the fuller ripeness of the southern site.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
The Graciano Crianza is the right first bottle. Graciano is a grape most Rioja drinkers have not encountered on its own, and Bagordi's version makes the variety's character legible: high natural acidity, firm tannin, dark fruit leaning toward blackberry and cherry, with a dry, clean finish. The acidity keeps the wine fresh despite the warmer southern site, and the native yeast fermentation gives it more aromatic complexity than a straightforward varietal example. It is not a heavy or extracted wine; it is angular, food-friendly, and clearly made from a grape with its own personality.