Olivier Riviere

A Bordeaux native, Olivier studied as a viticulturalist in France at Montagne St-Emilion before getting more hands on experience in organic/biodynamic farming at Domaine Leroy in Vosne-Romanée.

From there, lo-fi winemaking was imparted on him by the great Fred Cossard at St Romaine's Domaine de Chassorney. These two formative experience shaped his approach to wine growing and making deeply. But rather than sticking to his roots in France, it was roots of a different kind (the Spanish kind) that intrigued him the most.

He has since started making some of the sexiest, most energetic expressions of Rioja, all off organic vines. These wines share more DNA with those of the avant-garde of Burgundy or the southern Rhone Valley than most Spanish wine you will drink today. Exciting stuff and absolutely worth the modest prices asked.