Celebrating an extraordinary winemaking career—and the Rioja and Ribera del Duero wines that carry its legacy
Great wine begins in the vineyard, but exceptional wine is shaped by experience, instinct, patience, and an unwavering respect for the character of each vintage.
In 2026, that philosophy received one of its most significant international recognitions when Javier Martínez de Salinas of Grupo Bodegas Olarra was named the International Wine Challenge (IWC) Red Winemaker of the Year.
The prestigious award was announced on September 8, 2026, at the IWC’s annual awards dinner at London’s historic Guildhall, recognizing Martínez de Salinas among the world’s leading red-wine specialists.
For Grupo Bodegas Olarra, the recognition is particularly meaningful. Javier Martínez de Salinas joined the group in 1998 and spent almost three decades as its Technical Director, helping shape the style and consistency of wines from Bodegas Olarra, Bodegas Ondarre, and other wineries within the group.
And there is another poignant chapter to this achievement: the award coincides with his recent retirement, marking the culmination of a career spanning more than four decades in wine.
A Career Built on Experience, Intuition, and Precision
Born in San Sebastián, Javier Martínez de Salinas began his professional career in 1987 and later worked as an enologist and quality and production manager before joining Bodegas Olarra and Bodegas Ondarre in 1998. His academic background includes a degree in Biological Sciences and a master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology.
Over the years, his approach to winemaking has been defined by a combination of technical knowledge and sensory intuition. His work has helped develop wines that express the character of their respective vineyards while maintaining the balance, structure, and elegance expected from Spanish wines.
His international reputation was already firmly established before his 2026 victory. Martínez de Salinas had previously been shortlisted for the IWC Red Winemaker of the Year in 2021 and 2024.
In 2021, wines made under his direction achieved particularly strong results at the International Wine Challenge. Mayor de Ondarre Reserva 2016 scored 96 points, while Cerro Añón Reserva and Cerro Añón Gran Reserva each earned Gold with 95 points.
The 2026 award therefore feels less like a sudden arrival and more like the culmination of decades of dedication.
The Wines Behind the Legacy
The best way to understand a winemaker’s philosophy is, naturally, to taste it.
Grupo Bodegas Olarra’s portfolio brings together wines from distinctive Spanish wine regions, including the celebrated DOCa Rioja and DO Ribera del Duero. Its current range spans approachable young reds, characterful crianza wines, sophisticated reservas, and richly developed gran reservas.
Here are some of the red wines that showcase the diversity of the group.
Bodegas Altos de Valdoso: The Character of Ribera del Duero
Bodegas Altos de Valdoso Roble
A vibrant introduction to the wines of Ribera del Duero, Altos de Valdoso Roble offers a more immediate expression of the region. It is an inviting choice for those who enjoy fruit-forward Spanish reds with the warmth and character associated with oak-aged wines.
Bodegas Altos de Valdoso Crianza
Moving into greater depth, Altos de Valdoso Crianza brings together the richness of Ribera del Duero fruit with the complexity developed through aging. It is a natural companion for hearty dishes, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and Spanish cheeses.
Bodegas Altos de Valdoso Reserva
The Reserva represents a more mature expression of the range. Made from 100% Tempranillo from vines averaging 35 years old, the wine undergoes 20 months of aging in French and American oak, followed by bottle refinement. The result is a deep, expressive red with mature fruit, leather, coffee, and a long, fresh finish.
For lovers of structured Spanish reds, this is a bottle that rewards a leisurely pour.
Bodegas Olarra: The Heart of Rioja
Bodegas Olarra Acantus Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo
A meeting of two varieties, Acantus Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo offers an approachable interpretation of Spanish red wine with the familiar generosity of Tempranillo complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure.
It is the kind of wine that works equally well for casual dinners, tapas evenings, and generous plates shared around the table.
Bodegas Olarra Añares Crianza
Añares Crianza is a classic example of Rioja’s ability to balance fruit, oak, freshness, and structure. It offers an accessible way into the world of Rioja Crianza while retaining the character that makes the region so enduring.
Bodegas Olarra Cerro Añón Crianza
Among the group’s best-known Rioja expressions, Cerro Añón Crianza demonstrates the versatility of Rioja at the Crianza level.
Its strong showing at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards—95 points and a Gold Medal—further highlights the consistency of the style.
Bodegas Olarra Cerro Añón Reserva
With additional aging comes greater depth and complexity. Cerro Añón Reserva is designed for those who enjoy Rioja with more developed fruit, integrated oak, and a longer, more layered finish.
Bodegas Olarra Cerro Añón Gran Reserva
For the traditional Rioja enthusiast, Cerro Añón Gran Reserva takes the philosophy further.
Gran Reserva wines are all about patience, and this expression showcases the rewards of allowing time to shape the wine. It is a natural choice for slow dinners, celebratory meals, and classic pairings such as roast meats, aged cheeses, and other richly flavored dishes.
Bodegas Ondarre: Rioja with Personality
Bodegas Ondarre La Escaleruela
La Escaleruela represents another expression of the group’s Rioja expertise, bringing the character of its vineyard origins into the glass.
It is part of the wider Ondarre portfolio, a winery closely associated with Viana and a distinctive interpretation of Rioja.
Bodegas Ondarre Mayor de Ondarre Reserva
If there is one wine that particularly illustrates Javier Martínez de Salinas’ international reputation, Mayor de Ondarre Reserva deserves special attention.
The 2016 vintage received 96 points at the 2021 International Wine Challenge, making it the highest-rated Spanish wine in that edition and the best-rated Rioja Reserva.
More recently, Mayor de Ondarre Reserva 2020 earned 95 points and a Gold Medal at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, reinforcing its reputation as one of the group’s standout Rioja wines.
Bodegas Ondarre Primeur Organic
For something fresher and more contemporary, Primeur Organic offers an organic expression within the Ondarre family.
It is a reminder that Rioja is not simply about tradition—it is also about adapting winemaking to today’s evolving tastes and values.
Bodegas Ondarre Señorío de Ondarre Reserva
Señorío de Ondarre Reserva brings together the elegance and depth expected from a mature Rioja Reserva. It is particularly suited to food-led occasions, where its structure can complement roasted meats, cured meats, mushrooms, and mature cheeses.
Bodegas Ondarre Varietal de Ondarre Graciano
Graciano is one of Rioja’s distinctive traditional varieties, known for bringing aromatic intensity, acidity, and structure.
Varietal de Ondarre Graciano puts the grape itself in the spotlight, making it an intriguing choice for wine drinkers who want to explore beyond the familiar Tempranillo-led Rioja style.
Bodegas Ondarre Varietal de Ondarre Mazuelo
Another traditional Rioja variety takes center stage in Varietal de Ondarre Mazuelo.
Mazuelo—also known as Carignan—can contribute structure, freshness, and depth, offering a different perspective on the grape varieties that help define Rioja.
Otoñal: Everyday Rioja with Character
Bodegas Olarra Otoñal Tinto
Otoñal Tinto offers an approachable expression of Rioja designed for enjoying without overthinking the occasion.
It is the sort of red that can move easily from a weeknight dinner to a weekend gathering—especially alongside tapas, grilled meats, pasta, or a generous cheese board.
Bodegas Olarra Otoñal Crianza Rioja Etiqueta Azul
For a little more depth, Otoñal Crianza Etiqueta Azul brings the added complexity associated with Crianza aging while retaining the accessible character of the Otoñal range.
The broader Otoñal portfolio has also continued to receive international attention. Otoñal Gran Reserva 2020 earned 95 points and a Gold Medal at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, with judges highlighting its texture, firm tannins, long finish, and developed notes of dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, graphite, and ripe plum.
Bodegas Olarra Finca Valdelagua
Rounding out the selection is Bodegas Olarra Finca Valdelagua, another expression of the group’s commitment to producing distinctive Spanish reds.
It belongs to a portfolio where each label has its own personality, yet all share the same underlying focus: expressing the character of the vineyard through careful winemaking.
More Than an Award
The IWC Red Winemaker of the Year 2026 award is ultimately about more than one person.
It is a celebration of a career, a team, a region, and a winemaking philosophy developed over decades.
Javier Martínez de Salinas’ time at Grupo Bodegas Olarra has coincided with the evolution of wines that have earned recognition on the international stage. In 2021 alone, Olarra and Ondarre wines achieved multiple Gold Medals at the International Wine Challenge, while the group’s 2026 results at Decanter brought 16 recognitions, including a Platinum Medal, four Gold Medals, and eleven Silver Medals.
And perhaps most fittingly, the award arrives at the close of Javier’s professional chapter with Olarra.
His successor, Diego Orío, has been working alongside him during the transition into the next stage of the group’s technical leadership.
The bottles, however, remain.
Every Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva, and varietal wine carries forward something of the knowledge, patience, and precision developed throughout his career.
A Toast to the Winemaker—and the Wines
From the Tempranillo-driven character of Altos de Valdoso Reserva in Ribera del Duero to the classic Rioja expressions of Cerro Añón, Añares, Otoñal, and Señorío de Ondarre, Grupo Bodegas Olarra offers a remarkably broad journey through Spanish red wine.
And behind that journey stands a winemaker whose career has now received one of the industry’s highest international honors.
Javier Martínez de Salinas may have retired from his role, but his legacy is still being poured—one bottle at a time.
