Hermanos Hernaiz, Finca la Empératriz, Rioja Alta, Blanco, 2019

The heritage of Viñedos Hermanos Hernáiz is tied to Eugénie de Montijo, the last Empress of France and wife of Napoléon III. Long before brothers Eduardo and Víctor Hernáiz took over in 1996, the Empress was already producing exceptional wines here, even winning a medal at the 1878 Paris World’s Fair. Today, the brothers carry this legacy forward, blending family expertise and modern ambition to craft elegant, terroir-driven cuvées that honor the estate’s noble roots.

The source of the Finca La Emperatriz Gran Vino Blanco is a unique vineyard perched at 570 meters, where 50- to 65-year-old vines grow in a deep layer of coarse white pebbles over sandy subsoil. This distinctive terroir offers excellent drainage and ideal sun exposure, forcing the old vines to work hard. It is this exact combination of stony soil and vine age that gives the wine its signature personality, delivering a white Rioja prized for its remarkable elegance and crisp minerality.