Olivier Rivière Rioja VDE “Trotamundos Pie Franco” (Red) 2017

Rioja becomes much more interesting once somebody starts questioning all the rules respectfully. Olivier Rivière has spent years doing exactly that, producing wines that still feel unmistakably Rioja while sidestepping plenty of the heavier traditions surrounding the region.

Originally from Cognac in France, Rivière moved to Spain after working with Elian Da Ros and quickly became fascinated by old vineyards around Rioja, Arlanza and Navarra. The wines lean heavily towards site expression, old vines and lower-intervention winemaking rather than the heavily oaked “international Rioja” style that dominated for years.

Tempranillo remains central, though Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo all feature throughout the range depending on the vineyard source. The wines tend to carry bright red fruit, herbs, spice and earthy mineral character with far more freshness and energy than traditional heavily extracted Rioja styles.

What makes Rivière particularly compelling is restraint. Oak generally supports rather than dominates, alcohol stays relatively moderate and the vineyards themselves remain the focus. Even the more serious wines retain drinkability underneath the structure.

There’s a broader movement happening across Spain now towards fresher, terroir-driven wine from old vineyards, and Olivier Rivière sits comfortably among the producers leading that shift. Rioja with life and tension rather than just polished vanilla barrels.