Origin:

Its exact origin is not entirely clear, although it appears to come from La Rioja and neighbouring regions such as Navarre and Rioja Alavesa. It is possibly one of the most ancient grape varieties of the Ebro Valley.

Current cultivation: Today, Graciano is authorised in many Spanish autonomous communities, although it is generally grown as a minority variety. Its cultivation is mainly significant in Navarre, the Basque Country, La Rioja and Valencia. In 2022, it accounted for 2.74% of the vineyard area in Navarre.

Descendants: This variety has given rise, either through spontaneous hybridisation or controlled breeding, to other varieties such as Garró (Mandón) and Grand Noir (Graciano × Petit Bouschet). These varieties are commonly found in Bargota’s older vineyards.

Agronomic characteristics: It is resistant to downy mildew and fairly resistant to powdery mildew. The clusters can be very sensitive to hail and sunburn. It has low fertility. The clusters are large and compact. The berries are small, blue-black in colour, with weakly pigmented pulp. The leaf is pentagonal, with three slightly open lobes. Young leaves and shoots show reddish colouring.

Winemaking potential: Although it is a secondary variety and does not play as prominent a role as others, Graciano has proved to be an extraordinarily valuable complementary grape for use in blends intended for ageing. It produces fresh wines with high colour intensity and vivid violet tones. The wine shows liquorice notes, a tannic character and a long bitter finish. It is used for Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva wines.

DNA analyses carried out after vineyard surveys have identified morphologically very different specimens as Graciano. Subsequent studies have revealed significant differences between biotypes of this variety.