"José Gill, one of the regions' best young talents" - Tim Atkin
 
José's family has been farming vines around the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra and in the high hills of the Alavesa, at the northernmost limits of the region. They own small parcels of old vines, often just 0.2 to 0.4 hectares, which had become challenging to manage for the family's winery, Bodegas Olmaza. José has taken charge of these vineyards, crafting single-terroir wines in a Burgundian style, influenced by his two years in Burgundy and one year in the Mosel. His approach is reshaping the perception of terroir in Rioja. Despite having only two vintages under his belt, José has already been recognized as one of Rioja's most exciting new winemakers by Tim Atkin MW and Luis Gutiérrez.
 
Jose is leading the charge of the redevlopment of our understanding of the terroir of Rioja as they move towards a greater delineated mapping of the areas making wines of exceptional quality. 
 
The San Vicente cuvee is Jose's equivaent to a Villages wine - a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 5% Viura, sourced from the La Canoca, El Bardallo, San Martín, and La Concova vineyards. These plots, ranging from 450 to 650 meters in elevation, consist of sandy soils and alluvial deposits, and are home to vines aged between 80 and 130 years. Half of the grapes are fermented whole-bunch, while the other half are destemmed, with fermentation and aging split equally between concrete and old French oak. The result is a wine that captures both Rioja’s vibrant palette and Burgundy’s elegant structure, featuring silky tannins and a refined complexity.