Faustino: forging ahead

A name that is well-known and much loved by Rioja drinkers, Faustino has built its global reputation on heritage and passion, with an award-winning portfolio of wines. Its latest award – a Gold medal at DWWA 2020 for The Icon Edition Especial Selección 2015 – is testament to the commitment to quality that drives this established brand.

The Faustino legacy began in 1861, when Eleuterio Martínez Arzok purchased a manor house and adjoining vineyards in Oyón in Rioja Alavesa. Originally making wine to be sold directly from the barrel, the business flourished until the estate was struck by the phylloxera epidemic that arrived in Rioja in the early 1900s.

This disaster proved to be a catalyst for change: Eleuterio’s son, Faustino Martínez Pérez de Albéniz, oversaw a mass replanting of the vineyards and modernisation of the winery, and also began bottling the family’s wines for the first time.

In 1957 third generation Julio Faustino Martínez took the reins of the company, driving international exports and launching the Faustino brand in 1960 as a tribute to his father.

International reputation

Today, over 150 years since the winery was founded, Faustino is one of the largest exporters of Rioja reserva and gran reserva, and its wines can be found in over 140 countries around the world. Faustino I Gran Reserva is the best-selling gran reserva from Rioja; impressively, one of every three bottles of gran reserva Rioja sold worldwide is Faustino I.

Faustino is also one of the largest vineyard owners in Rioja, with 650ha of Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Viura vineyards in the Rioja DOC, primarily in Rioja Alavesa. These vines account for all of the winery’s reserva and gran reserva production.

Importantly, as land owners, Faustino can control the quality of its grapes. It has put an increasing focus on sustainability in the vineyard, introducing environmentally friendly growing practices and employing precision viticulture to monitor canopy development.

This commitment to research and development is an example of the innovation that has kept Faustino at the forefront of Rioja production, while continuing to respect the heritage of the region and the experience of four generations of family ownership.

These values are embodied in every bottle of Faustino, from its top expressions to younger crianza wines and fresher styles, including whites and rosés – plus an organic Rioja. And they are the reason why wine drinkers trust Faustino; an accessible luxury that’s enjoyed by millions of wine lovers around the world.

Website: www.bodegasfaustino.com