Why it matters
The producer
At Oyón, Bodegas Faustino works from Rioja Alavesa with wines appreciated in more than 70 countries. The range covers red, rosé, white and sparkling wines, giving the company several distinct wine formats within one family business.
The Rioja reds centre on Tempranillo, while Faustino Cava Brut uses Macabeo and Chardonnay. The producer combines a large vineyard base with plot level observation, tracking canopy development in different areas within the same plot.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Oyón places Bodegas Faustino in Rioja Alavesa, within the wider DOCa Rioja region. The estate vineyards extend across the municipalities of Laguardia and Oyón, keeping the Rioja wines tied to a defined area of northern Spain.
The place also separates the range by category. The Rioja wines are red, rosé and white bottles, while Faustino Cava Brut is a sparkling wine made from Macabeo and Chardonnay.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Bodegas Faustino owns about 650 hectares of vineyards within DOCa Rioja, with holdings in Laguardia and Oyón. Its vineyard work includes comparing canopy development across separate areas of one plot.
Faustino VII has a minimum of six months in American oak in the general specification. Winebow's specification for the 2023 vintage gives two months in American oak. Faustino I Gran Reserva receives a minimum of 24 months in American and French oak barrels. Faustino Cava Brut spends a minimum of 18 months ageing sur latte, a period of bottle ageing that can soften the bubbles and build additional texture.
Wines to know
The range in view
The Faustino range spans red, rosé, white and sparkling wines. Faustino VII is a red made entirely from Tempranillo. Faustino I Gran Reserva is also identified as a Tempranillo wine and receives extended barrel ageing.
Faustino Cava Brut changes both format and grape varieties, combining Macabeo and Chardonnay in a sparkling bottle. The range therefore moves from straightforward Tempranillo red to longer aged red wine and fine bubbled Cava.