Ostatu Rosado '22

One of the finest producers of small-production, place-based Rioja, Ostatu is a family winery located in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa region in the town of Samaniego, where it traces its history back 250 years. More specifically, Ostatu is in an 18th-century structure in the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria range, which was a former country inn (or hostel, offering hospitality—the origins of the name Ostatu) where travelers would stop for nourishment and rest on their way across the mountainous Basque Country. 

The Sáenz de Samaniego family has been farming in the area since the 16th century—for so many generations, in fact, that their family name and the village’s name are the same. The winery has been growing grapes for over two hundred and fifty years, and, after realizing the exceptional quality of the vineyards and potential through a friendship with Hubert de Boüard de Laforest of Château Angélus in Saint-Émilion, the winery was modernized in 2002. The philosophy at Ostatu has been one of constant improvement by blending tradition, a forward-thinking approach, and perseverance.

The rosado is from some of Ostatu’s oldest and highest-elevation vineyards, made of 63% Tempranillo, 35% Garnacha, and 2% Viura. Farmed organically, the grapes are destemmed and gently pressed before undergoing a short maceration. Fermentation is carried out with native yeasts, in stainless steel tanks, yielding a light, refreshing rosé from Rioja with substance as well as charm and fresh, delicate fruit.