Why it matters
The producer
In 1872, Claudio Chivite built a winery on the site of a stone quarry in Cintruénigo, in southern Navarra. The building took its name from the quarry: La Cascajera. That same building still stands and still operates today, more than 150 years later, producing the bottles sold under the Gran Feudo label.
Gran Feudo is a volume commercial label in the truest sense: clear bottles, clear pricing, distribution to more than 60 countries. But the foundation is real: warm clay soils in Cintruénigo and Corella, vines averaging 30 years old, and a winery that has been continuously updated with modern cellar equipment while keeping the original stone building intact. In October 2017, the Catalan wine group Perelada acquired the Chivite operations. Julián Chivite stayed on as President. The combined group's turnover exceeded 60 million euros, with a presence in nearly 100 markets. The name did not change, the building did not change, and the label kept shipping.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Cintruénigo sits in the southern reach of D.O. Navarra, a large appellation that stretches from the Pyrenean foothills in the north down to the warmer, flatter country near the Ebro River in the south. This southern pocket runs hotter and drier than the rest of the region, and the clay soils hold warmth well. The warmth pushes ripeness in Tempranillo and Garnacha, producing fruit that is ripe and rounded rather than austere. On the label, D.O. Navarra permits a wide range of grape varieties: both indigenous Spanish grapes such as Tempranillo and Garnacha, and international varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. That flexibility shows in the Gran Feudo range, which runs from a Tempranillo-led red Reserva to a 100% Chardonnay white.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
All vineyard work runs from Cintruénigo and Corella, with warm clay parcels and mature vines supplying both the red and white ranges. Thirty-year-old vines produce moderate yields with naturally concentrated fruit, which means the cellar does not need to work hard to find flavour. The winery has been continuously updated over time: modern temperature-controlled fermentation vessels allow the cellar team to manage the warm southern Navarra climate and preserve fresh aromatics in both the reds and the whites. The Reserva designation under D.O. Navarra rules requires a minimum ageing period, which shapes the texture and integration of the red range.
Wines to know
The range in view
Gran Feudo produces red and white wines from the same clay-soil parcels in southern Navarra.
The Gran Feudo Reserva is the anchor red. It carries the Reserva classification, which under D.O. Navarra rules requires a defined minimum ageing period split between oak and bottle. The grape base is Tempranillo-led, drawn from those 30-year-old clay-soil vines. The nose is generous and immediately readable: black plum preserve, blackberry, ginger, and blood orange. The palate is medium-bodied with moderate tannins and moderate acidity. The fruit is ripe and rounded, the tannins soft enough not to obstruct, and the overall register is accessible rather than demanding.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Start with the Gran Feudo Blanco. The 100% Chardonnay white is the easier read: no oak dominating the fruit, and a sensory sequence that is linear and clear. Pineapple and citrus on the nose, a fresh entry, balanced acidity, and a savoury finish that holds on. It shows what the winery does when the cellar is modern and the brief is clean: Chardonnay that tastes like itself, from warm clay-soil parcels, bottled without complication. The Blanco also costs less than the Reserva in most markets, which makes it the lower-risk opening move.