CLOS IBAI

Why Clos Ibai?

“Clos” as a way to define a special place.
“Ibai” means “river” in euskera.
Hence Clos Ibai implies:
“Making wines from singular vineyards with Ebro River as the witness and soul of viticulture from Rioja.”

Clos Ibai is a small project, born in 2014, in Rioja Alavesa. It pursues the dream of being able to maintain a series of unique vineyards that we discovered over the years and that are embodied in the Clos Ibai brand. This refers to the French term Clos (French word that defines the wine-growing property surrounded by a stone wall, generally of monastic origin) and to the term Ibai (Basque word meaning river, in this case, dedicated to the Ebro River). The conjunction of the two words is a declaration of intent to develop plots of unique vineyards and, on the other hand, a tribute to the river that is the backbone of all Riojan viticulture.

We try to capture this philosophy in the vineyard, through its organic cultivation and in the winery, through little interventionist practices, with the aim of obtaining sincere wines that capture the place from which they come and where the expression of the terroir is the essence of the wine.

THE TRAGEDY

The area around Baños de Ebro has an abundance of old vines, many of which are protected from the weather, somewhat in the style of Burgundian cloisters, with stone walls. Many of these vineyards are no longer worked, partly because the winegrowers are retiring due to age and their children do not want to work the land, and partly because the market does not pay for these grapes according to their quality or potential.

THE ADVENTURE

These clos are an inheritance, so I decided to buy them, or rent them when the purchase was not possible. Thus, giving them with a present and also with a future. They are worked organically and some vineyards are already certified, while others are in conversion.

Clos Ibai will never be a large winery, nor will it put millions of bottles on the market. The project is meant to be small.

The goal is to make terroir wines, microvinifications with character and personality, always with ease of drinking and pleasure as the goal.