THE ARCHITECT – Graciano
The grape winemakers love and growers avoid
Graciano accounts for around 2% of La Rioja’s red grape plantings. Before phylloxera devastated European vineyards in the late 1800s, there was significantly more Graciano planted in Rioja.
The problem was economics. Graciano is low-yielding, ripens late, and is prone to rot and downy mildew. Growers replaced it with easier options.
But winemakers never stopped wanting it. Graciano produces wines with intense red color with violet hints and high aromatic intensity. It’s ideal for aging wines, thanks to its polyphenol content and notably high acidity compared to other Rioja varieties.
In blends, Graciano provides deep color, structure, and marked acidity. It needs clay-limestone soils and consistent warmth to ripen properly, which is why it’s found more commonly in the warmer Rioja Oriental region.
The grape is fairly resistant to mildew and powdery mildew. Because it ripens late, Graciano needs heat through the growing season to avoid strong vegetal notes.
Single-variety Graciano wines are rare but increasingly available as winemakers recognize what this grape can do. When you find one, you’re tasting something that almost disappeared completely.