Frenchman Tom Puyaubert studied Agronomy and Winemaking in Bordeaux and moved to Rioja to do an apprenticeship at a large French cooperage. He fell in love with the vineyards in the foothills of Sierra de Cantabria and recognized the area’s great potential. The more winegrowers he met, the more determined he was to make his own wines.
He sources grapes from 14 hectares of long-term leased vineyards, some of them located in Monte Yerga’s foothills in Rioja Baja, although the majority are located in the village of Ábalos (Rioja Alta), where he works with 22 plots planted with traditional bush vines. He personally looks after the most important tasks on the vines like pruning, thinning or picking. Annual production ranges between 60,000 and 70,000 bottles.
He makes wine in a functional winery located in an industrial estate in Laguardia. Tom prefers wooden or uncoated cement vats to ferment his wines, though he usually uses stainless steel for Garnacha.
His entry level, fruit-driven red Bozeto (50% Garnacha, 40% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, below €7) offers great value. The Horizonte de Exopto range includes an expressive white Viura with some White Garnacha and Malvasía fermented and aged in barrels (around €12 in Spain) and a red Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano blend with lively fruit, balsamic notes and good balance (€14). Exopto is his premium wine and it is made with Graciano from Rioja Baja. The grapes are left to ripe much longer than usual, and are later blended with 30% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha. This is an extreme, concentrated, mineral red (around €32).
Puyaubert exports 80% of his wines.
