# Gabaxo (2023)

- **Producer:** Olivier Rivière
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Garnacha, Graciano, Tempranillo
- **Region:** Rioja, Spain
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, strawberry, violet, herbaceous, toast, smoke

## About this wine

Olivier Rivière, a native of Cognac who trained in Montagne Saint-Émilion and honed his craft at legendary biodynamic Burgundy estates like Domaine Leroy, moved to Spain in 2004. In 2006, he began crafting his own wines in Rioja, applying a Burgundian approach focused on terroir rather than traditional oak aging classifications. 'Gabaxo' is a French slang term historically used in Spain for a border jumper—a moniker Olivier proudly reclaimed. Sourcing fruit from high-altitude sites across Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental, this cuvée represents his version of a village-level Rioja with exceptional vibrancy and site-driven expression.

## Interesting facts

- The name 'Gabaxo' is Spanish slang for a French border-jumper, a nickname French-born Olivier Rivière proudly embraced.
- Olivier applies Burgundian terroir principles to Rioja, treating Gabaxo as equivalent to a Côte de Nuits village wine.
- Before making wine in Rioja, Olivier studied in Bordeaux and gained experience at Domaine Leroy in Burgundy.

## Food pairing

The vibrant acidity, medium-plus tannin structure, and rich fruit intensity of Gabaxo demand dishes with substantial structure. The protein and fat in roasted or braised meats melt the tannins while complementary savory elements like wild mushrooms and hard sheep's milk cheese accentuate the wine's earthy and mineral nuances.

## Wine making process

Hand-harvested from vines aged 20 to 65 years growing on clay-limestone and red clay soils at elevations between 300 and 650 meters. Vinification involves partial whole-cluster spontaneous fermentation with wild indigenous yeasts in concrete vats and stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged over two winters (12 months) in neutral large oak vats (foudres) and 500-liter French oak demi-muids, purposefully avoiding heavy oak toast to preserve natural acidity and pure fruit character.