In our childhood, we have all read or at least heard of "The Famous Five", the legendary series by Enid Blyton. That inseparable group of children embarked on adventures along the English coast, amidst mysteries, cliffs, and endless summers. In Labastida, five next-generation winemakers—Jorge Gil, Íñigo Perea, Luis Salazar, Alain Quintana, and Alberto Martínez—have crafted their own version of that tale. Here, there are no islands or hidden enigmas, but rather vines, harvests, and plenty of wine.
It all began during the 2020 harvest. Something started to stir in the Rioja Alavesa. Tired of witnessing the erosion of the traditional winemaking craft in the face of industrialisation, these five courageous individuals decided to reclaim the essence of their forebears: to make wine with their own grapes, hands, and intuition. Thus was born Cosecheros de Labastida, a project that champions the timeless figure of the winemaker who grows, vinifies, and bottles their wine without relying on large wineries or commercial formulas.
With the support of Telmo Rodríguez and the Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri, the group has revived an understanding of the land in the wine of Labastida that seemed forgotten: simple, honest, and profoundly connected to the earth. Their aim is not to compete with anyone, but to showcase the diversity and authenticity of the true terroir.
Among these five brave young winemakers, Jorge Gil is the most seasoned. With over 31 harvests under his belt, his wine Saigoba pays tribute to that decision and to the respect for family history. It is the first vineyard Jorge purchased after becoming a winemaker, and in it, he combines tempranillo, viura, moscatel, and garnacha, traditional varieties of Rioja Alavesa. The wine, under the DOCa Rioja, spends 12 months in barrels, gaining structure without losing freshness.
Saigoba is an honest, balanced red with soul. A wine that, like all the wines of “Los Cinco de Labastida”, does not seek to dazzle but to write its own story: that of a return to roots, to wine made with time, land, and truth.