Finca Míllara

D.O. Ribeira Sacra | Ribeiras do Miño, Galicia

In Northwest Spain, ancient winemaking regions remained largely obscure and cutoff from much of the global wine world. In recent years, these remote areas have emerged as hotspots for the authentic and unique; Ribeira Sacra is at the center of this change and Finca Míllara is among the region’s most ambitious estates.

Finca Míllara was built on the vision of Fernando de Santiago, an undertaking he kicked off nearly 20 years ago. To amass enough workable vineyard acreage, Fernando reached out to hundreds of small property owners, many with sites that had been long abandoned of farming; he’s spent years rehabbing and replanting vines and rebuilding their original stone terraces. The vineyards are maintained now as they were; worked by hand on the impossibly steep slopes above the Miño River without the use of herbicides. 

Today, Finca Millara's modern facility is under the care of oenologist Julio Jose Mourelle Lopez. Julio has around the world experience, most notably advising Stags Leap and Sterling Vineyards in Napa as well as Dominio de Valdepusa (which belongs to Marqués de Griñón) in Spain. 

Madai

D.O. Bierzo | Cacabelos, Castilla y León

Madai personifies everything we admire about small, generational Spanish producers. Under the care of brothers Gonzalo and Daniel Amigo, this tiny estate of less than 7 acres still boasts vines from the original Mencía and Godello plots, now over one hundred years old. Walking the vineyards is the quintessential old world experience; the head-trained vines, on steep granite slopes, are dry-farmed and hand tended without sprays. Dedicated entirely to Mencía and Godello, the interspersed plantings yield a production of only a few thousand cases. 

The Madai wines are a delight. Bierzo’s native red grape, Mencía, is wild and rustic – a clear deviation from Spain’s hotter-climate heavyweights. With Gamay-like aromatics and the spice and mineral of Cabernet Franc, it’s no wonder Mencía has recently emerged from decades of obscurity. Their Godellos spark the same sort of intellectual excitement any wine lover can appreciate; the best examples express the elegant neutrality of white Burgundy, mid-palate richness of Chenin Blanc, and the earthy, acid drive of Muscadet.

Valtravieso Bodegas Y Viñedos

D.O. Ribera del Duero | Piñel de Arriba Moorland

Valtravieso, the highest winery on Ribera del Duero’s ancient Castilian plateau, has garnered high praise since its first release in 1994. Since then, their reputation for crafting truly special wines from estate vineyards planted some 3,000 feet above sea level. Located in the moorlands in the upper reaches of Valladolid, their vines encompass over 170 acres over four parcels according to soil type.

The advantages of these high vineyards are considerable. The wines express flavor freshness and elegance and deliver bright acidity and aromatics in spades. The unique link between character and the environment has always been a strong point of the Ribera del Duero DO; the landscape is harsh and unpredictable, but produces wines with rich personality.

Primarily dedicated to Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero’s flagship variety, Valtravieso expanded their holdings with plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Winemaker Ricardo Velasco blends an experimental flair with traditional winemaking practices and natural vineyard work.

Viñedos Olvidados

D.O. Arlanza

'Viñedos Olvidados' is Valtravieso 's latest project. This ambitious undertaking involves rescuing acreage where traditional vineyards have been abandoned, or are at risk of being uprooted, and saving native varieties. The Valtravieso team, led by Pablo González Beteré and Oenologist Ricardo Velasco Pla, has produced wines from traditional varieties in the Covarrubias mountains in the DO Arlanza, Monastrell in Fuente Álamo in the DO Jumilla, and Bobal in Casas de Benítez in the DO Ribera del Júcar.

The Valtravieso vineyards also have a privileged location in Covarrubias. At a thousand meters above sea level, next to the Las Mamblas mountain range, the exceptional landscape made up of centuries-old goblet vines, have been worked and restored by hand. The old vineyards maintain the original plantation style where different varieties coexist, with practically no space between the vines, requiring extensive manual work.

Bodegas Epifanio Rivera

D.O. Ribera del Duero | Pesquera del Duero

Bodegas Epifanio Rivera embodies our prototypical impressions of Spanish wines: images of old vines, ancient cellars and arid landscapes. The Rivera-Aparico family’s viticultural tradition stretches back five generations in the heart of Pesquera de Duero. Their 50 acres of holdings are traditionally cultivated and comprise seven vineyards spread across the region. The oldest fruit, from the Erialón vineyard, contains just 600 plants, some over 100 years old. 

The history surrounding the winery goes back even further; the original cellar dates back to the 16th century and the wooden basket press has continued to press grapes since the 1800s. Their process, while deeply traditional, is equally meticulous. From the delicate handling of harvested fruit and shallow, temperature-controlled natural fermentations to unfiltered bottling of barrel-maturated wine, every decision is made to obtain complexity and express a sense of place.

Bodegas Tierra

D.O.C. Rioja Labastida | Rioja Alavesa

The Fernandez Gomez family has a history in viticulture that stretches back for more than a century, but it was the vision of the latest generation that first brought their production to the commercial market through the emergence of Bodegas Tierra. With nearly 80 acres of prime vineyard holdings in Rioja Alavesa, some containing original hundred-year-old plantings, it’s not surprising Tierra quickly earned an impressive reputation as an estate grower and producer. Efforts taken by Tierra focus on maintaining grape integrity from vineyard to bottle so true character is maintained; picking is always done by hand, with great care and winemaking never intrusive. Within the stylistic spectrum of Rioja, expect robust, balanced wines that integrate generous barrel maturity with minimal oxidative characteristics.

Creaciones Exeo

D.O.C. Rioja Labastida | Rioja Alavesa

Creaciones Exeo, the brainchild of Carlos Fernández, champions an avant-garde approach to grape varieties and production techniques in Rioja, one of the most traditional wine growing regions in Spain. Instead of the small production being centered around Tempranillo, Fernández chooses to focus on regional outliers, white and red Garnacha. His production methods are adapted year-to-year and incorporate enough skin contact and concrete to grab the attention of any enthusiastic wine geek. The end results are wines known for their pure expression of fruit, minimal to no reliance on oak, and innate ability to transmit minerality and earth to the tastebuds.

Bodega Contador | Benjamin Romeo

D.O.C. Rioja San Vicente de La Sonsierra

The Bodega Contador story starts in 1995 when Benjamin Romeo, winemaker and vine-grower, acquired a centuries old cave hewn into the rock beneath the Castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra (Rioja). In 1996 he made the first vintage of his “La Cueva del Contador” wine and started to buy vineyards for his plan to become a “bodeguero” - a wine producer.

The new winery (bodega) was opened on 21 June 2008, coinciding with the summer solstice. The building sits at the foot of the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, in the centre of the area where the various Bodega Contador vineyards are located. The three floors or terraces of the winery mirror the original slopes of the site where it is located, at the same time enabling both fruit and wine to be moved by gravity. The building’s terraces are covered with plants that blend in with the local vegetation. The winery has exposed concrete walls so that gradually they become coated with dust and end up melding with the earth from which they came.

Bodegas Itsasmendi

D.O. Bizkaiko Txakolina Gernika | País Vasco (Basque Country)

Bodegas Itsasmendi was built by friends with a shared vision of producing authentic wines from the finest coastal terroir. Their exploration lasted nearly six years and resulted in over 90 acres of vines dotting Spain’s Bay of Biscay. Spread over 17 carefully placed sites, their collective acreage provide the diverse climate and geological conditions necessary for the precision displayed in their wines. The majority of their production is dedicated to native varieties Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratie; naturally rugged and well-suited for demanding coastal conditions, these varieties thrive with help from prevailing onshore winds that work to protect fruit from the constant threat of rot. Under the care of founder Garikoitz Ríos and oenologist and viticultural manager Bingen Mendizabal, Itsasmendi believes the alliance of innovation, tradition and exceptional vineyards will result in the finest Txakoli wines.

Mas Dahoa

D.O. Cava | Penedès

Anna Valles and Jordi Ventosa come from two families from Penedés with strong roots and a long tradition in the elaboration of Cavas. Both have an impeccable career in the world of Cava and as a result of those efforts, Mas Dahoa is born. Their most personal cellar, where they express their enormous experience and their broad vision.

Emendis

D.O. Cava | Penedès

An ancient Cava producing gem along the Catalan coast, the Emendis Estate dates back over 800 years; Champagne vignerons settled in the Pyrenees in an effort to stay ahead of the phylloxera blight moving through France. The name Emendis pays tribute to the pioneering woman who founded the estate and farmed its first vineyards centuries ago. 

As bulk production in sparkling wine becomes more commonplace, we look to Cava traditionalists for distinction. At Emendis, quality begins in the vineyards, with nearly 50 acres planted predominantly to classic varieties; the clay-based soil, high magnesium, provides the acidity at the core of these wines. With the vineyards surrounding the winery and caves, harvested fruit can be chilled and pressed without suffering oxidation from transport in the August heat. Secondary fermentations always occur in bottle, with even their entry-tier Cavas spending over a year on lees.

CAN XA

D.O. Cava | Penedès

From the Castellet i la Gornal area of Penedès, Can Xa’s delightful Cava duo brings impressive quality and value to bubbles lovers. With strong coastal influences, Can Xa is well situated for farming the high-acid fruit needed for sparkling wine production. Made in the traditional method from their estate fruit, these wines always overdeliver. Both the Brut and Rosé of Pinot Noir spend an impressive 9 months aging in bottle before being disgorged; this occurs at a naturally maintained 57°F in the emblematic dome-shaped caves that meander thirty feet below ground.

Coca i Fitó

D.O. Montsant, Spain | Catalunya

Started in 2006 by brothers Toni and Miquel, Coca i Fitó is a dynamic winery with its foundation in Monsant; the brothers’ projects have become increasingly diverse, expanding into multiple regions throughout Spain. Efforts have focused their fruit sourcing to their own expanding estate vineyards or a few select growers, who are committed to the same levels of care and sustainability. The winery is guided by three main principles: the mineral essence of the soil, the blending of varietals, and the aging process within different vessels, such as wood barrels, ceramic amphorae, concrete eggs or stainless-steel tanks.

Tierra Calma

D.O. Vinos de Madrid | Sierra de Gredos San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Madrid

Nestled in a valley between the Sierra de Madrid and the Sierra de Gredos, the town of San Martín de Valdeiglesias is home to Vinedos Tierra Calma. The name, meaning ‘calm earth’, is befitting as the wines are profoundly influenced by the soils, microclimates, and serenity of the region. With production based solely on the cultivation of Garnacha, the wines provide an unobscured view of the terroir across a single varietal. The vineyards, surrounded by the granite hills, integrate harmoniously with the native rockroses, pines, and juniper scrubs, which impart their own subtleties on the wines; it’s with loving care, tranquillity and perseverance that these details are expressed.

Biftu

D.O. Utiel-Requena | Valenciana

Familia Bastida has a deep commitment to their Bobal vineyards in Utiel-Requena; it’s here the heritage vines were planted after proving resistant to the spread of Phylloxera through Europe in the 1900s. These plots produce some of the best examples of unique, value-driven wines in this part of the world, something winemaker Juan Miguel Benitez first recognized while studying oenology and viticulture in the city of Requena. After joining the Bastida family’s operations, Juan Miguel’s ambition to explore Bobal’s potential was met with enthusiasm, leading back to the vineyards where his love for this grape began more than 20 years earlier.

Gutiérrez de la Vega

D.O. Alicante | Valencia

Since 1978, Felipe & Pilar Gutierrez de la Vega have championed traditional winegrowing in the sun-soaked region of Alicante. Inspired by the historical wine styles of their area, the couple produce a diverse range of 14 wines, from dry to sweet, in their 19th century bodega and pay tribute to the novels, writers and composers which inspire their “vinos de autor” cuvées. The Gutierrez de la Vega family has brought a truly singular approach to fine winemaking in their region. The bodega is located in the small mountain town of Parcent, very close to the Mediterranean Sea on the Alicante coast. The estate vineyards are located in the Marina Alta, and they also work with vineyards in the Sierra de Salinas mountains higher inland. The hot summer days and cool nights of these coastal mountains are perfectly suited for the long growing season of Monastrell and the other indigenous varieties grown here.

Bodegas Alejandro

D.O. Alicante | Valenciana

Bodegas Alejandro has been practicing traditional viticulture and wine production in the Alicante region since 1982. Their passion begins in their vineyards, and their intimate knowledge of the regions climate and geology allows them to craft wines with nuanced character and personality. This connection with the land stretches back 30 years, and as a family, they still walk the vineyards together. To achieve wines of exceptional quality, they are made in small quantities to ensure quality and control over the harvest, production and maturation.

Gutierrez Colosia

D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry El Puerto de Santa Maria | Andalucía

Since 1838, Bodegas Gutiérrez Colosía has been the closest sherry bodega to the ocean, located at the mouth of the river Guadalete in El Puerto de Santa María; the location provides the perfect humidity level for the formation of flor, a veil-like layer of yeast that gives the wine its unique aroma and taste characteristic of sherry. The wines are kept in cathedral-like bodegas, with high ceilings and sweeping arches, allowing the maritime climate to have a greater influence on the aging process. Gutiérrez Colosia remains one of the last family-owned sherry operations, continuing a long tradition of crafting wines with passion and finesse.

Bodegas Juan Piñero, S.L.

D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Sanlúcar | Andalucía

The history of this little bodega began in 1992, when Juan Piñero acquired a disused 100 year old bodega in the lower town of Sanlúcar; an area long famed for its Manzanilla. After repairs to the central patio and part of the naves, and the purchase of some 1800 used casks and 400 casks of Manzanilla solero, production started on a range of sherries. A second bodega in Jerez was added in 2007, allowing the production of fino and Oloroso sherries to complete the range. This is a fairly small bodega. In the typical style, high roofs and windows facing east and west take advantage of the winds and ranks of barrels stretch into the dim coolness.