Víctor de la Serna, one of the most important journalists in Spain and one of the most prestigious gatsronomic critics in the country has dedicated his column to the project of our wineries: Valdelacierva (Rioja) and Viñedos y Bodegas Gormaz (Ribera del Duero). The article translated: 

Hispanobodegas, the winery group founded a couple of years ago with wineries in Rioja (Valdelacierva), Ribera del Duero (Viñedos y Bodegas Gormaz) and Rueda (Bodegas GarciGrande), is evolving in an interesting way within the current Spanish landscape: initially designed for the high production of mid-range wines, it is now drifting towards wines from the terroir, from plots, and focusing on personality. A tasting of the latest wines from the wineries in Rioja and Ribera del Duero confirms that they are on the right track.

It is enough to see that between Valdelacierva and Gormaz – the former cooperative of San Esteban de Gormaz, privatised in 2004 – they control more than 400 hectares of land. This accounts for its initial high-volume intentions, which is the case with many Spanish wineries in these two denominations, not to mention the bulk and supermarket wine areas of the southern half.

As the owners explain, the group is trying to diversify, reduce production and increase the level of quality and price. However, the company is not doing this in the style of the 90s – nor even the early 2000s – by basing it on luxurious oak wines, but instead opting for an in-depth study of its own excellent wine-growing heritage, in order to identify the vines with potential, finesse and personality. This is achieved through a careful study of their soils and orientations, whose grapes are assembled in ‘cuvées’ of modest size, or in some cases produced from a single plot.

Valdelacierva, based in Navarrete, has the essentials of its vineyards in Sonsierra and Rioja Alavesa, although it has just acquired old plots of Grenache in Tudelilla. Gormaz, which is the most eastern, highest and coldest part of Ribera, has