Viña Ijalba Reserva Blanco Rioja 2020

Decades before sustainability became a marketing line, Bodegas Ijalba was quietly planting vineyards in abandoned quarries on the outskirts of Logroño. What others saw as scarred land, they saw as a possibility: fractured stone, mineral-rich soils, and a chance to restore something forgotten.

From the beginning, Ijalba has set the standard for environmental awareness in Rioja. Organic farming, extensive recycling programs, and one of the region’s earliest environmental certifications are all part of the moral fabric of this estate. Their vineyards, planted in reclaimed quarries, produce fruit with remarkable minerality and tension that hums beneath even their most generous reds. They’ve also become champions of Rioja’s lesser-known varieties, rescuing grapes like Maturana Blanca and Graciano from obscurity and giving them a new voice. Longtime cellarmaster Pepe has guided this evolution vintage by vintage, with a steady hand and a clear vision.

This bottling may be their most quietly radical yet. A blend of 60% Maturana Blanca and 40% Viura from 45-year-old vines, fermented in concrete and aged for 14 months in barrel (50% new), it offers a completely fresh lens on white Rioja. The Maturana Blanca brings texture and subtle orchard fruit, while the Viura lends lift and precision. Aromas of pear skin, white peach, and chamomile unfold into notes of crushed stone, citrus oil, and a whisper of toasted almond. There is breadth here — a gentle creaminess from the oak — but it’s carried by a vibrant mineral spine that keeps the wine focused and alive. The finish lingers with saline tension and a faint echo of baking spice. For collectors who think they know Rioja well, and for those who believe white Rioja begins and ends with the classics, this is a bottle that reframes the conversation and reminds us why Rioja still has stories left to tell.