Olivier Rivière's Gabaxo assembles Tempranillo and Graciano from Rioja Alavesa's rocky, clay-limestone heights with Garnacha from warmer sites across Rioja Alta and Baja, a vertical geography of the region that gives the blend both structure and textural complexity. Organic farming and the hand of a winemaker trained in biodynamics show in the wine's restraint; this is Rioja that lets the terroir speak rather than the oak.
Winemaker Notes
Gabaxo is Olivier’s only wine that blends fruit from various sites within Rioja. The Tempranillo and Graciano are from Rioja Alavesa, planted on rocky, clay-limestone soil at 500 meters above sea level. The Garnacha is from Cárdenas in Rioja Alta on red clay at 600 meters and from Rioja Baja. Gabaxo is a not wholly flattering term for a French border jumper – a nickname that Olivier embraces with pride. Along with Bastid, Olivier considers Gabaxo to be equivalent to Côte de Nuits version of Rioja.
About the Producer
Olivier was born and raised south of Bordeaux, in Cognac. He studied enology in Montagne St-Emilion, focusing on biodynamic farming and cut his teeth working for such luminaries as Domaine de Chassorney, Elian da Ros and Domaine Leroy. In 2004 he was lured into Spain by Telmo Rodriguez to help him convert his vineyards to biodynamics. By 2006 he had started his first project in Rioja. Coming from France, Olivier has an innate sense of terroir. Unlike many of his peers in Rioja, he bases his cuvées not on political boundaries or the length of barrel aging but on terroir.
