Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge results

One of its flagship lines may well be called ‘crazy bottle’ – aka Bocciamatta in Italian – but StraItalian Winemakers and its managing director Gaetano Peragine have their feet firmly on, and in, the ground.

Founded just over 25 years ago in response to increased demand for Rioja wines internationally, family-run bodega Criadores de Rioja has always kept a watchful eye on overseas markets. Its wines encapsulate a fusion of tradition and modernity and the winery has successfully kept abreast of changing demand and consumer patterns. With its appeal continuing to extend way beyond national borders, it offers a fine illustration of the vitality of this famous Spanish appellation and its ability to reinvent itself.

Although some Spanish wine regions have traditionally produced rosés, there is no denying that the reputation of pink wines has never equalled that of the country’s reds or whites. But the winds of change are blowing, lifting the outlook for rosés. Increasingly, bodegas are embracing the huge potential for this style of wine, when it is crafted with care.