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The estate
In 2006, our head winemaker, Jean-Marc Sauboua, started a venture of his own: he founded a small Rioja bodega, up in the clouds – the highest in the appellation, with vineyards at the same lofty altitude. It’s a very beautiful spot, close to the mountains, with the very best, poor-soil vineyards. Since then, the winery has won over 600 awards, including over 180 Golds and three Trophies. All this, Jean-Marc wants to share with his Vineyard Partners and, in particular, his flagship - Pigeage (pron. Peejarge), which on its own has won over 100 Golds.
The wine
Jean-Marc’s aim from the outset was to make a fine modern Rioja, using the Grand Cru Classé methods he’d learned over the years in Bordeaux (including his first stint, at Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Haut-Brion). Only the finest grapes from mature vineyards (many 100+ years), planted at 600-700 metres, are used in his Pigeage, which explains the elegance, finesse and cellaring potential of this great wine. Old-vine, high-grown Tempranillo, with a splash of Graciano, aged in part-new French oak barrels, it has layers of intense, silky fruit and spiced complexity.
Experience it for yourself!
If you are ever on holiday in the area, Jean-Marc and his team would love to show you round. You can have a tour of the winery and a taste of some wines from barrel.
Catch up on the news from Altos and your Pigeage 2020
May 2024
It’s been a busy few months at the winery for the Altos team and around the world, too, for owner-winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua. You may well have caught him at our London Wine Festival in May, just gone, when he presented wines and talked about developments in Rioja in the Vineyard Partner VIP area. If you missed him there, here’s a chance to catch up on all that’s been happening.
Image gallery
Owner-winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua, up in the heights, outside his winery
The beautiful patchwork of vineyards
They use a lot of barrels at Altos for ageing the top wines
There are many pretty villages to explore
The tasting room has wonderful views out across the mountains
The modern Altos winery in Elvillar, high in Rioja
Vintage information
We will update our vintage information regularly to let you know what's drinking well now and what will improve with keeping. All the Altos Pigeage wines are best opened early and decanted. They will become more complex with further cellaring, but are still very pleasurable to drink now.
Vintage |
|---|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
Drink/Keep |
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Good now, until 2036 |
Young. Drink by 2037 |
Young. Drink by 2038 |
Run out of your partnership bottles?
You can stock up here or place an order with your Wine Guide. Naturally at the same special bottle price you paid for your partnership case.
Contact the team at the winery about visits
Telephone: |
Email: |
Website: |
(+34) 945 600 693 |
Altos de Rioja
Somillo, 01309
Elvillar, Álava
Spain
