Vineyards and winemaking
Maturana Blanca is one of Rioja’s oldest recorded white varieties and is prized for its naturally high acidity. Clípeo’s organically cultivated vines grow on limestone-influenced soils in the cooler reaches of Rioja Alta, a setting that supports the grape’s citrus, orchard-fruit and herbal definition.
The fruit was harvested by hand into small 15kg boxes and fermented in French oak. Three to four months on the fine lees gave the wine breadth and a lightly creamy texture while preserving the freshness and precision that make this rare variety so distinctive.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Bright straw gold with a subtle green glint and excellent clarity.
Nose
Fresh green apple and lemon peel lead into white blossom, fennel frond and a touch of chamomile. Quiet notes of biscuit and fine-grained oak add complexity without masking the variety’s lifted character.
Palate
Textured yet taut, with crisp apple, citrus pith and a delicate herbal edge. Lees ageing rounds the middle palate, while vivid acidity and a lightly saline, almond-tinged finish give the wine shape and persistence.
Food pairing
Pair with grilled hake and parsley butter, crab on toast, chicken poached with leeks, or courgette and goat’s cheese tart. Its freshness and subtle oak also complement lightly smoked trout with crème fraîche.
Background story
Founded in 2016 by Eduardo, Miguel and Javier with oenologist and university professor Juan Carlos Sancha, Clípeo Wines combines small-scale production with a commitment to organic viticulture and the recovery of Rioja’s less familiar grapes. Maturana Blanca, documented in the region as early as the 17th century, sits naturally at the heart of that purpose.
The wines are made in the restored Cueva La Alcaldía cellars, historic spaces cut into the rock where natural humidity and ventilation favour steady maturation. Preserved open pressing vats, cisterns and underground vaults provide a physical link between Clípeo’s contemporary precision and Rioja’s traditional cellar craft.
