Graciano

Rioja's perfume-and-spine blender, rarely solo.

Graciano is a small but important component of traditional Rioja blends, valued for high acidity, tannin, and aromatic lift. Plantings nearly disappeared in the 20th century because it ripens unevenly and yields low; a quality-focused replant in the 1990s brought it back. Modern bottlings — both as a blending component in Rioja Gran Reserva and as occasional varietal wines — show floral, peppery, structured reds capable of long aging. It is also planted under different names in Sardinia, Argentina, and California.