You could say that winemaking is in Jesús Madrazo’s blood – his father José was the founder of Rioja’s Contino estate (part of the CVNE group) and Jesús grew up on the estate.
Perhaps inevitably, Jesús developed a deep connection with the winemaking lifestyle, and went on to join the family firm. There he stayed for 30 years, going on to become head winemaker for the CNVE group and create their flagship wines.
After stepping down from the role he had held for such a long time, he started producing his own ‘project wines’, aiming to bring out the best of the Rioja region. He released the first wines under his own name in 2017, sourcing grapes from very old tempranillo and graciano vines to blend with a small amount of garnacha – an excellent showcase for the fruits of this terroir.
At the heart of Jesús’s project is an ambition to produce a Rioja with a real ‘wow factor’, focusing on the richness of the fruit rather than an oaked style. As a result, these wines reflect a modern style of Rioja, with more pronounced tannins and a deep core of black fruits.
