Abel Mendoza Monge Grano a Grano Graciano 2021

The Grano a Grano Graciano from Abel Mendoza Monge is a beautifully expressive, small-batch Rioja made from hand-destemmed Graciano grapes. Its cherry hue with purple edges hints at the wine’s vibrancy. On the nose, it strikes a perfect balance between youthful red fruits, syrupy richness, and layered secondary notes—citrus zest, violets, balsamic undertones, and delicate vanilla. The palate is fresh yet concentrated, with a smooth, almost honeyed texture, supported by spicy nuances and a lingering, meaty complexity. This is a persistent, refined red with a unique personality and freshness that makes it stand out among modern Rioja wines.

Modest, passionate and in no small part obsessive, Abel Mendoza and Maite Fernández have been making understated wines from their old vine vineyards, high up in the Cantabrian mountains near San Vicente de la Sonsierra since the late 80s.

His intimate knowledge of the diverse terroirs in this spectacular part of Rioja is enthralling, and every barrel tasted reveals startling provenance and true character of the vintage. Abel doesn’t make wines that flatter, they don’t speak of oak regimes, but rather of the quality of his fruit, expressed in its most honest form.

For two generations Abel Mendoza's family has been farming vineyards in Rioja, and today works 58 individual parcel, scattered in and around the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra (towards the border of Rioja Alta and Alavesa). More than anything in the world, Abel cares for his vineyards, each plot tended to enable an authentic expression of the location, and harvested entirely by hand. The grapes planted are all indigenous varietals, including Malvasia, Viura, Tempranillo Blanco and Tinto and Graciano.