Faustino V Rioja Reserva

Profile & Story

Bodegas Faustino, founded in 1861 by the Martinez family in Rioja Alavesa and still run today by the sixth generation, is one of the 'First Families of Rioja' and the region's largest exporter of Gran Reserva wine, drawing on roughly 1,600 acres of estate vineyards at 1,500-1,800 feet elevation. Faustino V Reserva is Tempranillo-led with Graciano and Mazuelo, aged a minimum of 24 months in American oak followed by further bottle aging before release, sold in the brand's signature bottle bearing a Rembrandt-style portrait. The 2017 vintage earned 93 points from James Suckling, who described ripe, sweet dark plums, blackberries and blueberries with dark-spice and cocoa-powder notes and fine-grained tannins across a medium-to-full-bodied palate.

Pairing Recommendation

Pairs well with roasted or grilled meats and rich, slow-cooked dishes, such as barbacoa or a hearty mole poblano, that echo its dark-fruit and spice character.