At a Glance
• Founded in 1886, Gomez Cruzado, is the smallest winery in the famed “Barrio de la Estacion” or “Train station district”…. an area in the heart of Haro and where Rioja as we know it was born. Gomez Cruzado is sandwiched between some of the most famous names in the region with Lopez de Heredia less than 20 feet away, La Rioja Alta to their left, and Muga to the right.
• Despite having classic Rioja elevage and a mixture of (used) French and America barrels, the Bodega believes strongly in freshness and seeks for the oak/aging process to frame rather than define the wines (in contrast to a producer like Lopez de Heredia).
• Two regional sources are especially important in the Gomez Cruzado wines and are noted below:
o The foothills of the Sierra Cantabria: “Vines grown in whitish, poor soils with a clay-calcareous composition. Most of them in 'carasoles' in the highest part of the mountain range, up to 750 meters. Very close to the natural border that separates the Mediterranean climate from the Atlantic in the Iberian Peninsula, they are the only vineyards in Rioja where this Atlantic influence on the climate is evident. These vines give us wines with characteristic typicity, freshness and elegance.”
o Alto Najerilla: While located in southern Rioja Alta, this site is so high elevation that up until recently it was too cold in this area for viticulture. “Garnacha vines grown in an enclave located in the Sierra de la Demanda. Goblet vineyards, with an age of more than 80 years. They were driven into clay-ferrous soils, on north-facing slopes, at an altitude of approximately 750 meters, where the dominant climate is the extreme continental climate. The grapes obtained in these vineyards stand out for their great fruitiness and marked acidity
About Gomez Cruzado
Gómez Cruzado is the boutique winery of el Barrio de la Estación. The project brings together all the ingredients necessary for creating wines of extremely high quality: classified origin and marked typicity, dedicated to the fine style of Haro’s Barrio de la Estación. The origins of Bodegas y Viñedos Gómez Cruzado date back to 1886, when Ángel Gómez de Arteche, a nobleman related to the Duke of Moctezuma de Tultengo, decided to start making and bottling his own wine in Haro, in the heart of Rioja Alta.
Thus, a century-old cellar was born which would go on to make history in Haro and Rioja during the late 19th century. Gómez Cruzado was bought in 1916 by Ángel and Jesús Gómez Cruzado, both natives of Rioja, for whom today´s winery is named. At the beginning of the new millenium, the winery changed hands to the Baños family: the current owners, who hail from Badarán. At present Gómez Cruzado is run by Juan Bautista, an experienced Rioja winemaker that has worked for Telmo Rodriguez Cia, with a special focus in Rioja for twenty plus years. Six wines comprise Gómez Cruzado’s primary collection: Blanco, Crianza, Vendimia Seleccionada, Reserva, Gran Reserva and Honorable.
