A blend of 85% Viura and 15% Malvasía, the 2014 Blanco fermented in stainless steel where it rested until bottled in January 2015. It is extremely pale, it felt almost transparent when I was pouring it, with perhaps a grey tint to it. The nose is quite balsamic mixing aromas of lanolin and bay leaf, somehow difficult to identify as Rioja. The palate feels very young with a subtle spritz and a bittersweet finish. The wine has close to four grams of residual sugar. 58,200 bottles produced.

The 2012 Blanco is 85% Viura and 15% Malvasia with just a touch of Garnacha Blanca that are fermented in inox, with no malolactic, and displays a bright pale yellow color, with clean notes of white fruit and flowers, easy to drink, clean, with a pleasant bitter aftertaste. They don’t really own any young white vines, so all whites are produced with the fruit of old vines. Drink 2014-2015. Ostatu is a family winery from the Alavesa zone of Rioja created in 1960 by the Saenz de Samaniego family who have a long tradition as grape growers since the 16th century to craft wines from their 34 hectares of vineyards in Samaniego, Leza y Laguardia and a further 15 hectares they work on behalf of other members of the family. They explained to me that they have two lines of wines, one they like to describe as “sensible” where they want to make traditional wines through blending grapes from different vineyards, and the “singular” one, which are single vineyard. The two ranges have different-styled labels which are quite easy to identify. They currently produce nine different wines, of which I tasted six, all of them highly recommended, and all of them sold at sensible prices. Imported by De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, NC; tel. (919) 933-4245; www.demaisonselections.com

The 2011 Blanco is a blend of 85% Viura and 15% Malvasia from 580-meter high vineyards on calcareous/clay soils. It has an expressive nose of passion fruit and nectarine that is well-defined, fresh and lively. The palate is well-balanced with a touch of ginger on the entry and a bright, spicy, lemongrass-tinged finish that is lent personality by the Malvasia. Drink now-2015. Bodegas Ostatu has been owned by the Saenz de Samaniego family for many generations but has only bottled under their own name since the 1970s. Importer: De Maison Selection LLC, Chapel Hill, NC: tel. (919) 933-4245

The 2010 Ostatu Blanco is a blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia fermented with native yeasts and raised in stainless steel. Light gold in color, it offers up an inviting nose of mineral, melon, and floral notes. Smooth-textured, savory, and nicely proportioned, it is an excellent value in white Rioja. Bodegas Ostatu is a family-owned winery in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa region. The average age of the estate’s vines is 50 years. Ostatu’s winemaking consultant is the renowned Hubert de Bouard of Chateau Angelus fame. Importer: Andre Tamers, De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, NC; www.demaisonselections.com