From the atlas
Faustino Martínez
Bodegas Faustino in Oyón, Rioja Alavesa, with Tempranillo reds, estate vineyards and Cava Brut from Macabeo and Chardonnay.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Producer | Bodegas Faustino |
| Region | Rioja Alavesa within DOCa Rioja |
| Village | Oyón |
| Main grapes | Tempranillo, Macabeo and Chardonnay |
| Prioritized bottles | Faustino VII, Faustino I Gran Reserva and Faustino Cava Brut |
| Defining feature | Estate vineyards in Laguardia and Oyón, with canopy monitoring within individual plots |
The Producer
At Oyón, Bodegas Faustino works from Rioja Alavesa with wines appreciated in more than 70 countries. The range covers red, rosé, white and sparkling wines, giving the company several distinct wine formats within one family business.
The Rioja reds centre on Tempranillo, while Faustino Cava Brut uses Macabeo and Chardonnay. The producer combines a large vineyard base with plot level observation, tracking canopy development in different areas within the same plot.
Place
Oyón places Bodegas Faustino in Rioja Alavesa, within the wider DOCa Rioja region. The estate vineyards extend across the municipalities of Laguardia and Oyón, keeping the Rioja wines tied to a defined area of northern Spain.
The place also separates the range by category. The Rioja wines are red, rosé and white bottles, while Faustino Cava Brut is a sparkling wine made from Macabeo and Chardonnay.
Soil And Site
Bodegas Faustino describes its Rioja Alavesa soils as chalky clay. Clay can retain water around the roots, while chalky material can improve drainage and contribute a firmer texture to wine.
The vineyard team compares canopy development across different areas within the same plot. Canopy refers to the vine's leaves and shoots, which control the sunlight and shade reaching the grapes. Monitoring those differences helps manage exposure inside each plot.
Story
Familia Martínez Zabala is a fourth generation Spanish winemaking dynasty. By March 2026, sisters Carmen and Lourdes Martínez Zabala led the company, placing two named members of the family at its current helm.
Vineyards And Cellar
Bodegas Faustino owns about 650 hectares of vineyards within DOCa Rioja, with holdings in Laguardia and Oyón. Its vineyard work includes comparing canopy development across separate areas of one plot.
Faustino VII has a minimum of six months in American oak in the general specification. Winebow's specification for the 2023 vintage gives two months in American oak. Faustino I Gran Reserva receives a minimum of 24 months in American and French oak barrels. Faustino Cava Brut spends a minimum of 18 months ageing sur latte, a period of bottle ageing that can soften the bubbles and build additional texture.
Wines
The Faustino range spans red, rosé, white and sparkling wines. Faustino VII is a red made entirely from Tempranillo. Faustino I Gran Reserva is also identified as a Tempranillo wine and receives extended barrel ageing.
Faustino Cava Brut changes both format and grape varieties, combining Macabeo and Chardonnay in a sparkling bottle. The range therefore moves from straightforward Tempranillo red to longer aged red wine and fine bubbled Cava.
In The Glass
Faustino VII opens with ripe red fruit, sweet oak accents and spiced plum, berry and chocolate notes. The palate is medium bodied, with juicy savoury fruit and chewy tannins. Its finish is medium in length.
Faustino I Gran Reserva brings fruity and spicy aromas, followed by oak derived notes on the palate. The finish is silky and persistent.
Faustino Cava Brut has fine bubbles with white fruit and apple aromas, followed by floral and honey accents. It is pleasant and balanced, with a long finish.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Faustino VII. It is a red made entirely from Tempranillo, with American oak ageing and a direct single grape composition. It comes before the longer barrel ageing of Faustino I Gran Reserva and the sparkling format of Cava Brut, keeping the first comparison on grape variety, red wine and oak.
Anecdote
Eleuterio Martínez Arzok settled in Oyón, Rioja Alavesa, and started producing wine for bulk sale. The business began with a named founder, a new home in the village and wine made for a commercial market beyond the bottle. That first activity remains the opening episode in the history of Bodegas Faustino.
Final Word
Bodegas Faustino joins Rioja Alavesa vineyards with Tempranillo reds, extended oak ageing and a Cava Brut made from Macabeo and Chardonnay.
Sources
1. https://bodegasfaustino.com/en/wines/history 2. https://bodegasfaustino.com/en/vinos/vineyards 3. https://riojawine.com/en-us/bodegas-rioja/bodegas-faustino/ 4. https://spanishwinelover.com/winerie/faustino 5. https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2026/03/04/familia-martinez-zabala-partners-with-grapejuice-group-for-us-representation/ 6. https://www.bodegasfaustino.com/en/wines/faustino-vii-red-wine-usa 7. https://www.bodegasfaustino.com/en/wines/faustino-i-gran-reserva 8. https://www.bodegasfaustino.com/en/vino/cava-faustino-brut 9. https://www.winebow.com/our-brands/bodegas-faustino/faustino-vii-red/2023 10. https://www.bodegasfaustino.com/en/our-wines