The Valdelana family has been in the Rioja Alavesa since at least the early 14th Century and has grown vines and made wine in the town of Elciego since 1634, when Pedro Valdelana first established the family’s cellars. Throughout all those centuries, it wasn’t until 1974 that the family’s wines were first sold commercially outside the region by Isidoro Valdelana. Today the estate is mainly run by Juan Jesús Valdelana and his two children, Judit and Juan. The soils here are classic for Alavesa/Basque Country, with heavy chalk/clay terroir with very poor permeability and organic content, forcing the vines to dig deep for water and nutrients. The vineyards are all on south-facing slopes, reducing the soil permeability and fertility even further. Valdelana’s average vine age is around 50 years, with some parcels that are truly ancient and pre-date phylloxera. The winery was rebuilt and modernized in 2007, but the barrel room remains the same: a 15th Century cave set 15 meters below ground.
For more information, please visit Bodegas Valdelana
