It is no coincidence that a land like La Rioja is the heart of wine in Spain. Its climatic conditions, geographic characteristics and tradition in the cultivation of vineyards, allow this region to host special places that, due to their location and unique characteristics, are particularly suitable for wine agriculture.
The place where one of our wineries is located, Finca Valpiedra, is one of those unique sites, which combine conditions that make it especially suitable for growing grapes.
Finca Valpiedra is located in the heart of La Rioja Alta, between two municipalities well known for their winemaking tradition: Cenicero and Fuenmayor. The Ebro River forms a meander as it passes through these two towns, which is exactly where Finca Valpiedra is located.
The Ebro has great importance in the characteristics of the farm, since it determines the composition of its soil, as well as providing a natural thermal protection against the heat of the summer and regulating the relative humidity of the land.
The 80 hectares of vineyards surrounding the winery are distributed in three natural terraces that go down to its shore. In the three plateaus there are fourteen different plots with altitudes ranging from 427 to 406 meters.
Boulders and limestone
The Ebro River determines the composition of the soils, as they settle on the alluvial bed. The soils of Finca Valpiedra have a sandy loam profile with its surface practically covered with pebbles and presenting a medium level of limestone. In fact, the winery’s name, Finca Valpiedra, comes from the presence of boulders, which allow the vines to retain the sun’s heat and also minimize dehydration of the vines by slowing the evaporation of water on hot summer days. They also contribute to the ripening of the grapes, since, thanks to these effects, the grape harvest is brought forward and arrives two weeks earlier than in other vineyards in the area.
This pebble soil is not very common in La Rioja and gives an unmistakable personality to the wines grown on the estate, which acquire a mineral, balsamic and structured character.
Microclimate
Finca Valpiedra enjoys a microclimate that combines elements of the Atlantic and Mediterranean environments, with cold and long winters, while summers are warm and sunny. The proximity of the Sierra de Cantabria, to the north, and the Sierra de la Demanda, to the south, contribute to these climatic conditions.
At night, the cooler temperatures prevent the vines from dehydrating, softened by the proximity to the Ebro River, which provides a natural protection against frost.
The heat of the cold stimulates the production of tannins and other polyphenols, which are responsible for giving body, color and longevity to the wine.
Valpiedra Estate
In this special environment we opened Finca Valpiedra in 1999, the only winery in Rioja belonging to the Asociación Grandes Pagos de España. Built in the classic Bordeaux style of its vineyards, we produce the only two wines produced here:
Finca Valpiedra
our main reference, and Cantos de Valpiedra.
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