Gonzalo Grijalba, Gran Cerdo Tempranillo 2023

Get to know: Gonzalo Grijalba, Gran Cerdo Tempranillo

Tasting Note

Gran Cerdo Tempranillo 2023 is bursting with bright cherry fruit, red berries, and just a touch of spice. It's light-to-medium bodied, fresh as a daisy, and brilliantly juicy - one of those reds that goes down far too easily. Think wild strawberries, cassis, a touch of herbs, and a clean, slightly earthy finish, all wrapped up in a wine that doesn’t need oak to show off.

Perfect food pairings:

• Mushroom and lentil shepherd’s pie

• Manchego cheese (for a Spanish match made in heaven)

• Grilled chorizo or paprika roast chicken

The freshness and gentle grip of tannins mean it also shines with rustic pasta dishes and anything tomato-based. Basically, it’s a proper food wine - easy-going but full of character.

Kate Says

"A wine for the rebels! Love these guys. Brilliant value natural wine, not too funky, lots of great fruit. All about purity and freshness, and their mission is about bringing old vineyards back to life."

Producer Info

Gran Cerdo Tempranillo is the brainchild of the rebellious and brilliant Gonzalo Gonzalo Grijalba, who grew up among vineyards in Rioja and saw firsthand the damage done by industrial farming. After watching his father’s health suffer due to exposure to agrochemicals, Gonzalo vowed to do things differently.

Armed with a background in biology and oenology, he returned to Rioja to create wines that respected nature - not just the market. A minimal intervention Rioja red wine that’s organic, vegan, and downright delicious. The name “Gran Cerdo” (Spanish for “Big Pig”) is a cheeky nod to the bankers who refused him a loan, telling him wine wasn’t a ‘real asset.’ The flying pig on the label says it all.

Grapes come from 35-year-old Tempranillo vines planted on calcareous clay soils in Fuenmayor, Rioja Alta. No herbicides, no pesticides - just lunar calendar farming, natural yeasts, and a big respect for the land. Whole bunch fermented, unfiltered, unstabilised, and with very low sulphur, this wine is as close to the grape as you’ll get.

There’s no oak ageing, meaning all the juicy red fruit and mineral lift gets to shine through. It’s an organic vegan Tempranillo from Rioja that tells a story in every glass - one of passion, defiance, and proper craftsmanship.