A Spanish Wine Dinner w/ La Rioja Alta, S.A. & Jose Luis Navarro
Thursday May 21st, 2026
Join us Thursday May 21st, 2026 as we welcome Jose Luis Navarro the National Sales Manager for La Rioja Alta, S.A. to Chez François. The dinner will feature eight wines from La Rioja Alta S.A. and wines from three properties owned by this group. From Galicia to the Ribera del Duero and Rioja and finishing in Jerez. This dinner will be a great way to learn about the fabulous wines of Spain.
Zamburiñas
A Maine “Diver” Sea Scallop served in its natural shell with Garlic butter and finished with crispy Jamón Ibérico and parsley.
Albarino“Lagar de Cervera”, Lagar de Fornelos, Rias Baixas, Spain 2024
Rias Baixas Blanco“Pazo de Seoane”, Lagar de Fornelos, Rias Baixas, Spain 2024
Carpaccio of A-5 Wagyu Beef, Himalayan Morel Mushrooms & Manchego Cheese
Thin slices of raw wagyu beef with sautéed Himalayan morel mushrooms finished with arugula, Manchego cheese & toast points.
Ribera del Duero “El Espino”, Bodegas Aster, Ribera del Duero, Spain, 2021
Ribera del Duero “Finca El Otera Espino”, Bodegas Aster, Ribera del Duero, Spain, 2019
House Cured Ohio Proud Pork Belly, Andalusian Style
Seared pork belly simmered in its natural juices served Andalusian style with spinach, chorizo and chickpeas finished with a Tempranillo reduction.
Rioja “Reserva” Vina Ardanza, La Rioja Alta, Rioja Alta, Spain, 2019
Rioja “Gran Reserva”, Vina Ardanza, La Rioja Alta, Rioja Alta, Spain, 2017
Cordero, Sauce au Naturel
An oven roasted lamb chop with an herb crust served with roasted tomatoes, olives and roasted Piquillo peppers served with a lamb glace de viande.
Rioja “El Camino”, Torre de Oña, Rioja Alavesa, Spain, 2021
Rioja Gran Reserva ”904”, La Rioja Alta, Rioja Alta, Spain, 2016
Biscoff Butter Cream Ice Cream, Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce
Country Parlor Biscoff Butter Cream ice cream, finished with crumbled Biscoff cookies, figs and dates and caramel sauce.
Amontillado “Contrabandista” Sherry, Bodegas Valdespino, Jerez, Spain
Pedro Ximénez “El Condado”, Bodegas Valdespino, Jerez, Spain
$165/Per Guest
Tax & Gratuity not included.
All pricing reflects a cash & check payment. A 2.99% non-cash/check adjustment is included in all other forms of payment.
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La Rioja Alta, S.A.
La Rioja Alta is a pearl within an oyster: one of the most venerated wineries in the world, situated in one of the world’s greatest winemaking regions. It was founded in 1890 in Haro, La Rioja, Spain. This was just 2 years before the “Viticulture and Enology Station of Haro” was established, one of the first bodies for protecting the quality of Rioja wine. That is to say, the La Rioja Alta winery and top-quality traditional Rioja wine go hand-in-hand, and have done so since about the 19th century.
La Rioja Alta is also one of the best names to look out for in terms of value. It is one of our favorite wineries, striking an ideal balance between price point and critical acclaim. This winery is the result of five local growers coming together in 1890, a mixture of Basque and Riojan families. Out of these five growing families, Doña Saturnina García Cid y Gárate was appointed as president, and she chose a Frenchman to take control of the winemaking itself, Albert Vigier.
La Rioja Alta’s & Torre de Oña vineyards cover over 700 hectares of land. Most of them are inside of Rioja, in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, but some can also be found outside, in locations like Ribera del Duero (Bodegas Áster) and Galicia (Lagar de Fornelos Winery). Their vineyards cover diverse tracts of land, touching both Mediterranean and more maritime climates. The winery’s careful selection and blending of vineyards is what makes these wines so special.
Torre de Oña
Founded in 1987 in the hamlet of Páganos in the Rioja Alavesa, Torre de Oña is a sterling exemplar of the new Rioja: a modest-sized, château-model estate growing 100% of its own grapes. In 1995, the winery was sold to La Rioja Alta S.A., which invested significantly in soil studies, oak trials, and additional old-vine acquisitions.
Since 2005, Julio Sáenz, the head winemaker at La Rioja Alta, has been responsible for the wines at Torre de Oña. His range includes the Finca San Martín Crianza and the increasingly-heralded Reserva, Finca Martelo, sourced from a parcel selection of the oldest vines. This estate is in constant motion, refining the classic-meets-modern balance and adapting to a warming climate by acquiring old vineyards higher up the Sierra Cantabria.
Bodegas Áster
While Tempranillo is at home in Rioja, it has established a second bastion in Ribera del Duero. After searching through ideal terroirs, La Rioja Alta purchased the old parcel of Finca El Otero in 1993, eventually founding Bodegas Áster in 2000. These wines are typically darker and more powerful than their Rioja cousins, blazing forth with a unique freshness.
Today, Bodegas Áster produces three expressions of Ribera: a superb entry-level Crianza intended to show the perfect blend of structure, fruit, and oak elevage; El Espino, a newer cuvée selected for aroma and fruit intensity; and Finca El Otero. This last, sourced from the estate’s original oldest vines, is considered one of the best single cuvées being produced in the Ribera appellation.
Lagar de Fornelos
Located in O Rosal, the southernmost part of the Rías Baixas appellation, Lagar de Fornelos was purchased in 1988 by La Rioja Alta. The winery assembled one of the most significant contiguous estate vineyard holdings in the appellation, combining the Atlantic influence of O Rosal with historic vineyards in Salnés.
With young Bierzo native Olga Verde now at the winemaking helm, Lagar de Fornelos produces the ‘Pazo de Seoane’ cuvée (a classic Rosal blend) and the flagship ‘Lagar de Cervera’ varietal Albariño. At the pinnacle of their production is the recently-debuted Lindeiros, another varietal Albariño, but this one from a prized single parcel at the sea’s edge in Salnés.
Valdespino
Valdespino is one of the oldest bodegas in Jerez, with history dating back to 1264. Commercial activities started in 1430 and the formal company was founded in 1875, quickly becoming a supplier to the Royal Houses of Spain and Sweden. In 1999, the company was sold to Grupo Estévez, owned by José Estévez.
Valdespino remains dedicated to old methods and the importance of terroir. Unlike many bodegas, Valdespino owns 186 hectares of vineyards and controls another 220 hectares, all of the Palomino grape. Their soleras are now housed in a modern facility on the outskirts of Jerez, maintaining the high quality that has defined the house for centuries.
