1993 2013 2o t h anNivers ary
BODEGAS LUIS CAÑAS p.14
BODEGAS LAR DE PAULA p.18
BODEGAS Y VIÑEDOS LABASTIDA p.22
BODEGAS BAIGORRI p.26
ALTOS de Rioja Viticultores y Bodegueros p.30 BODEGAS HEREDAD DE BAROJA p.38
PAZO DE SEÑORANS p.48 BODEGAS VAL DE VID p.56
BODEGAS MONTEBUENA p.42
FINCA SOBREÑO p.52
BODEGAS Y VIÑEDOS VALTRAVIESO p.60
BODEGAS PAGO DE CIRSUS p.64 BODEGAS PAGO DEL ORO p.72
BODEGAS AMAREN p.34
VIÑEDOS Y BODEGAS MUÑOZ p.68
BODEGAS EYLO p.76
ROLLAND & GALARRETA p.86
gran sello p.90
BODEGAS ARTERO p.80
VILLA CONCHI p.94
Ara ex Rioja Alavesa
Spanish Fine Wines
L atest Releases
D.O.C a. Rioja
D.O. Rueda
ROLLAND & GALARRETA
(AL AVESA )
VAL DE VID
D.O.Ca. Rioja Alavesa
CONDESA EYLO
D.O. Ribera del Duero
LUIS CAÑAS
D.O. Rueda
LAR DE PAULA
D.O. Rias Baix as
CASTILLO LABASTIDA
PAZO SEÑORANS
BAIGORRI
D.O. TORO
ALTOS R
FINCA SOBREÑO
VIL L A CONCHI D.O. Cava
AMAREN
PAGO DEL ORO
HEREDAD DE BAROJA
D.O. RIBER A DEL DUERO
MONTEBUENA
VALTRAVIESO
gran sello Central Spain
D.O. L A M ANCHA FINCA MUÑOZ ARTERO
D.O. NAVARR A PAGO DE CIRSUS
2009 “The Best Spanish Export Company” by Mercados del Vino y la Distribución 2001 “Prize for the Best Spanish Foods Company - Export Division” by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods
D. O. Ca. Rioja ( AL AVE S A ) BODEGAS LUIS CAÑAS BODEGAS LAR DE PAULA BODEGAS Y VIÑEDOS LABASTIDA BODEGAS BAIGORRI ALTOS de Rioja Viticultores y Bodegueros BODEGAS AMAREN BODEGAS HEREDAD DE BAROJA BODEGAS MONTEBUENA bordeaux
D.O. Rias Baix as PAZO DE SEÑORANS
D. O. TORO FINCA SOBREÑO BODEGAS PAGO DEL ORO
barcelona
D. O. Rueda BODEGAS VAL DE VID BODEGAS EYLO
D. O. RIBER A DEL DUERO BODEGAS Y VIÑEDOS VALTRAVIESO
D. O. NAVARR A BODEGAS PAGO DE CIRSUS
D. O. L A MANCHA VIÑEDOS Y BODEGAS MUÑOZ BODEGAS ARTERO
R&G ROLLAND - GALARRETA D.O.Ca. Rioja Alavesa D.O. Ribera del Duero D.O. Rueda
VIL L A C ONCHI D.O. Cava
gran sello Central Spain
M ADRID
Endeavouring to set the standard for professionalism and customer service From its inception, ARAEX & Spanish Fine Wines have endeavoured to set the standard for professionalism and customer service while bringing an international approach to the commercialization and marketing of finely crafted wines from small, family-owned wineries. It is this combination of centuries of winemaking history with 21st century business practices that has achieved worldwide recognition and distribution for the Spanish Group of Independent Wineries’ extensive portfolio. The introduction of The Grand Wines in 2012 is another step in the consolidation of our values and in the quest to expand the prestige of our brands throughout the world. Excellence Made in Spain.
JAVIER R. DE GALARRETA President and CEO
The commercial network of
Araex & Spanish Fine Wines is present in the main markets and exports its products to more than
70 countries.
Importers, distributors, retailers and consumers across the world share their
trust in the quality of our wines. 10
investment, innovation, DEDICATION Committed to the Environment The success of our business lies in the special care and attention given to our vineyards. That is the reason why the wineries that form the group are involved in sustainable programs such as different water treatment plans to dispose of pollutants. Or Project Cenit-Demeter, a wide-ranging R&D investigation to discover solutions to adapt the vineyards and wines to the new global warming reality, with higher temperatures and less rainfall. Our wineries apply rational viticulture methods based on a farming system that fully uses natural resources to ensure long-term and sustainable farming, which means that the use of biological and chemical agents is controlled and carefully chosen, ensuring that they are environmentally friendly. In our compromise with the highest standards, we are also pioneers in quality control systems and comply with ISO, BRC and IFS protocols and have implemented a carbon footprint control program to comply with norm PAS2050, which provides the most reliable and consistent method worldwide for assessing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.
We believe that innovation is vital to continue offering great wines. That is why we have developed ARAMIN, the first project in Spain to predict the level of histamines in the wine. These organic components, found naturally in plants and fermented foods, are produced during the vinification process. In high concentrations, they may sometimes lead to organoleptic alterations, such as headaches or drowsiness, especially in hypersensitive individuals due to genetic factors or age. With ARAMIN, the wineries in the group are able to set up protocols and preventive measures to avoid the presence of histamines in their wines, helping to boost further the quality of the Group’s wines and placing it at the forefront in innovative projects in the wine sector.
“We believe that innovation is vital to continue offering great wines.” “The success of our business lies in the special care and attention given to our vineyards.”
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AR AEX
Bodegas Luis Cañas Over t wo cent uries of experience
Bodegas Luis Cañas is a familyowned winery that dates back to 1928, although the family has been growing grapes and making wine for more than two centuries. Today, it is one of the leading wineries of Rioja Alavesa. Their wines start with nearly 300 owned or exclusively controlled hectares of high-altitude vineyards. There, they carefully cultivate the vines following an agricultural system that makes maximum use of natural resources while limiting their impact on the environment. They realize nature is the source of their success and they strive to maintain the privileged characteristics nature has bestowed upon their vineyards. At Luis Cañas, being green is not just a marketing trend; it is their philosophy and their key to success.
PHOTO: LUIS CAÑAS & juan luis cañas - Founder & Producer
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AR AEX
Bodegas Lar de Paula The essence of Tempranillo
In the heart of the Rioja Alavesa, in the village of Elvillar de à lava, Fernando Meruelo is transforming the finest Tempranillo grapes into great modern Rioja wines at Bodegas Lar de Paula. Protected from the north by the Sierra Cantabria and thriving on the fertile Ebro Valley to the south, the region’s benign climate ensures the supply of quality fruit from some of the highest vineyards in Rioja. Austere and in tune with its surroundings, the winery itself has been built with a single purpose in mind: highlighting the best characteristics of the Tempranillo grape through a process in which excellence is the primary concern.
PHOTO: Fernando Meruelo - Producer
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AR AEX
Bodegas y Viñedos Labastida 500 hectares of world-cl ass vineyards
Born in 1964 in the same Rioja village as Manuel Quintano, the 18th century monk who brought Bordeaux
wine-aging
Bodegas y Viñedos
techniques
to
Spain,
Labastida continues this pio-
neering spirit in the elaboration of their wines. Yet, even with brand new facilities, stocked with the latest wine-making technology, it is Labastida’s vineyards that distinguish this winery above others. The 500-plus hectares are nestled between the banks of the Ebro River and the foot of the Sierra Cantabria mountains in one of the most unique and privileged areas in all of Rioja. The vines are protected from the Atlantic wind and rain while enjoying warm air currents brought from the Mediterranean by the Ebro. The result is the ideal proportion of precipitation with warm days and cool nights, making Labastida’s vineyards some of the best in Rioja.
PHOTO: Carlos Argudo - Producer
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AR AEX
Bodegas Baigorri Gravit y as an ally
Bodegas Baigorri returns winemaking to its origins in a state-of-the-art facility that is as much a work of art as the wines it creates. Built around the winemaking process, an elegant glass structure emerges from the soil and welcomes the visitor with a stunning display of the surrounding vineyards, emphasizing that it is here where the process begins. Baigorri then dives more than 30 metres below the surface and relies on gravity to drive the fruit and must through its evolution towards world-class wine. The absence of hoppers, pumps or mechanical methods of any kind ensures that the individually selected grapes and the resulting wine are insulated from any potential damage. The result of this combination of careful vine management, rigorous selection and innovative architecture is a collection of well rounded, modern wines with a distinct personality.
PHOTO: PEDRO MARTĂNEZ - Producer
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AR AEX
ALTOS de Rioja Viticultores y Bodegueros Modern wines inspired by terroir
Although a relative newcomer to Rioja, this boutique winery in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa is passionately led by a group of experienced professionals with impeccable credentials in the world of Spanish wine. Joint owners and longstanding winemakers Roberto San Ildefonso and Bienvenido Mu単oz together with flying winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua are creating a range of uniquely modern Rioja wines. In a short time, they have used their decades of combined experience and long winemaking heritage to achieve a high level of quality and a distinctive personality in their wines that is rarely seen from new wineries. Their rapid success is the result of a strong guiding philosophy and a determination to balance the richness of the terroir and the traditional work in the vineyard with the latest technological advances.
PHOTO: Bienvenido Mu単oz, Jean-Marc Sauboua & Roberto San Ildefonso - Producers
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AR AEX
Bodegas Amaren In search of perfection
Bodegas Amaren was born during the 1995 harvest as a tribute to Ángeles, Juan Luis Cañas’ mother. A tireless worker, Ángeles devoted her life to the vineyard and the winery. Amaren is the search for perfection in all fields. The vineyard, its selection, its elaboration and its ageing are all lovingly taken care of in order to achieve wines that bring emotion and pleasure. The grapes used to produce Amaren wines come from small plots located in slopes and terraces planted with low-yield old vines that produce exceptional wines. Harvest is done manually and always with the utmost respect for the environment. As quality is the essence of Amaren wines, they are only available in good vintages and their production is limited.
PHOTO: JUAN luis cañas - Producer
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AR AEX
Bodegas Heredad de Baroja Transforming qualit y grapes into great wine
At one of the highest points in Rioja Alavesa, in the village of Elvillar de Álava, the Meruelo family created Bodegas Heredad de Baroja in 1964. The winery itself was built with a single purpose in mind: turning top-quality tempranillo grapes into classic expressions of elegant Rioja wine. Sourced from vineyards more than 600 metres above sea-level, rising from a mix of clay and limestone, the grapes reach a perfect balance of ripeness and acidity due to extreme temperature differences of 20ºC or more. Temperature controls, stainless steel tanks with capacities between 12,000 and 30,000 kilos, exhaustive monitoring at every stage – everything is geared towards ensuring the quality and character found in these unique vineyards manifests itself in every bottle of Heredad de Baroja.
PHOTO: toni Meruelo - Producer & Winemaker
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AR AEX
BODEGAS MONTEBUENA Knowledge, experience and tradition
For almost half a century, Bodegas Montebuena has been putting its extensive knowledge and experience into making quality wines. Montebuena continues this tradition today thanks to what is considered one of the best vineyards in Rioja Alavesa. Located in the south east of the village of Labastida and covering more than 160 hectares, the size and quality of the Montebuena vineyards allows the winery to exercise complete control over their production from the vine to the bottle. But what truly sets Montebuena apart is its unique position where the river Ebro is closest to the Sierra Cantabria mountains, creating a blend of Mediterranean and Continental climates that prevents an excess of rain and extreme cold. In addition, the shallow, calcareous soil limits the yield of the harvest and the size of the grapes while increasing the volume of the skin, resulting in deeper colour and greater concentration of flavor.
PHOTO: CÉSAR CASTRO - Winemaker
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Pazo de Señorans One OF the best Albariño producers in Spain
The Albariño wines of Pazo de Señorans, one of the leading wineries in D.O. Rias Baixas, are renowned throughout the world for their outstanding quality, intense aromatic character and unique freshness. Located near the village of Vilanoviña, the lowland vineyards, with their fine, sandy, acidic soil, are less than 10 km from the sea where they enjoy gentle temperatures and elevated precipitation that levels off during the summer months. The winery itself is a magnificent example of the ancestral homes of rural 19th century Galicia, built in the countryside with all the charm and nobility of a bygone era. But the success of Pazo de Señorans is derived from an exemplary vineyard management policy as well as a careful and painstaking selection process during the harvest, where each plot is harvested separately.
PHOTO: marisol bueno - Producer
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Finca Sobreño The new star of the Duero
When the D.O. Toro was created in 1987, Roberto San Ildefonso from Rioja was one of only a handful of winemakers who saw the region’s true potential. His winery, Finca Sobreño, was one of the first ten wineries in the new denomination, which today includes over 50 producers. Finca Sobreño’s first vintage in 1998 soon started earning acclaim and the winery became known as “the new star of the Douro.” It sits among 24 hectares of vineyards but it owns a total of 80, including 25 of certified organic vines. These vineyards have an average age of 30 years and many vines are prephylloxera, meaning they are planted directly without the need for grafting. The resulting wines are clean, bright and balanced, with the deep, intense colour that is characteristic of the highly regarded wines from Toro.
PHOTO: Roberto AND PALOMA San Ildefonso - Producers
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Bodegas Val de Vid Verdejo wines of excepTional qualit y
When Jose Antonio Merayo realized his life-long dream to have his own winery, his choice of D.O. Rueda was not arbitrary. The Duero River flows through the region’s northwestern corner and several tributaries branch off from the river to form soils that are perfect for cultivating grapes. The region, located at 700 to 800 metres above sea-level, consists of flat highlands, with very long, cold winters, short springs with late frosts, and dry, hot summers, only altered by untimely storms. This factor forces the vines to search for their water resources deep underground that result in grapes with perfectly balanced levels of sugar and acidity. Today, Val de Vid owns 20 hectares of vineyards and controls another 60 hectares in the area of La Seca in the heart of Rueda, which are planted exclusively with the Verdejo variety. Using the latest technology combined with traditional vinification methods, they produce white wines of exceptional quality and a singular expression of their soil and climate.
PHOTO: JosĂŠ Antonio Merayo - Producer
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Bodegas y Viñedos Valtravieso The highest estate in Ribera del Duero
In the heart of Ribera del Duero, more than 900 metres above sea level, stands the Valtravieso estate surrounded by its vineyards. This dynamic winery blends tradition with state-of-the-art production processes to make a wine that is unique, full of sensations and expresses the singularity and personality of the region. The goal of Valtravieso’s team of experts is to exploit its privileged location to extract the true potential of the Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties. Its 83 hectares of vineyards feature a chalky clay soil that is dry, shallow and poor in nutrients, making it ideal to grow vines that are exceptionally robust. At Valtravieso, a combination of altitude, climate, soil and meticulous care converge in a spectacular display of the essence of the land, vine and tradition of Ribera del Duero. PHOTO: PABLO GONZÁLEZ BETERÉ - Producer
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Bodegas Pago de Cirsus An impressive estate se t for Pago D.O. stat us
The aim of Pago de Cirsus is to make 100 percent single-estate wines of the very highest quality. The 136 hectares of southerly vineyards are planted with Tempranillo, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and small grain Muscat. Standing in their midst is a towering chateau and state-of-theart winery that produces some of the most highly awarded wines in Spain and is set to be the next Pago D.O. in the country. Its founder and owner, Spanish film producer Iñaki Nuñez, chose the site just outside the village of Ablitas in Navarra for its sloping topography and ochre-coloured clay found over most of the estate. Combined with its continental climate, the conditions are regarded as optimum for growing vines. Further enhancing the quality, the average yield per hectare is intentionally reduced far below the denomination’s limit to produce concentrated wines with deep colour, excellent fruit, and powerful structure.
PHOTO: Iñaki Nuñez - Producer
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Viñedos y Bodegas Muñoz Pioneering qualit y wines in La Mancha
Founded in 1940, this winery started as a small plantation of vineyards in the town of Noblejas just south of Madrid in what is today the largest wine-producing region in the world: La Mancha. The region offers ideal climate conditions and unique soil characteristics that produce extraordinary concentrated and aromatic wines. Often among the ranks of the pioneers of La Mancha that have championed improvements in the quality and longevity of the wines from the region, Viñedos y Bodegas Muñoz has grown into a significant force in the international wine markets. Today, a third generation of the family, led by Bienvenido Muñoz Pollo, is deeply involved in crafting quality wines that are enjoyed around the world.
PHOTO: Bienvenido Muñoz pOLLO- Producer
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Bodegas PAGO DEL ORO The new, modern st yle in Toro
For centuries the best area in Toro to grow fruits, vegetables and plant vineyards has been known as “El Oro”. Its privileged situation, close to the river Duero on the eastern part of the town of Toro, was perfect to avoid the early frosts in spring time. The area’s distinctive red soils have a base of clay and are covered by rolling stones making them ideal to grow grapes that mature slowly. In 1996 the San Ildefonso family, pioneers in the area, carried out a selection of parcels around this privileged location to produce their “Pago de Oro” wines. Thanks to a constant and careful terroir selection, the San Ildefonso family is at the forefront of the new modern style in Toro with wines that offer great fruit concentration and character.
PHOTO: Paloma San Ildefonso - Producer
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Bodegas Eylo Rueda at its best
In 1996, this relatively young winery was created in the appellation D.O. Rueda. The Duero River flows through Rueda’s north-western corner and several tributaries branch off from the river to provide, through their flooding, soils perfect for cultivating grapes. The region also enjoys a privileged climate with hot, dry days and cool nights that result in grapes with perfectly balanced levels of sugar and acidity. Nowadays, Bodegas Eylo owns 20 hectares of vineyards in La Seca in the heart of Rueda, which are planted exclusively with the Verdejo variety. The winery controls another 60 hectares of Verdejo and Viura vineyards through close relationships with several growers. Eylo’s wine-making installations are located a few kilometers away in the village of Serrada near Valladolid. Using the latest technology combined with traditional vinification methods, they produce white wines with unique flavour, a fruity touch and an excellent level of acidity.
PHOTO: Silvia García - Winemaker
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SPANISH FINE WINES
Bodegas ARTERO Tradition and technology combined to make great wines
La Mancha has become the largest wine-producing region in the world occupying 30,700 km². Its ideal climate conditions and unique soil characteristics produce extraordinary concentrated and aromatic wines. Bodegas Artero, based in Noblejas about 80 km south of Madrid, was built in 1940. The winery controls about 400 hectares of vineyards located at an altitude of 660 meters above sea level, with an average age of 40 years. Presently, the winery occupies an area of 8,000m2 with a production capacity of 4,000,000 litres, a storage capacity of 7,000,000 litres, a state-of-the-art bottling line capable of 3,000 bottles per hour and more than 1,500 aging barrels. Artero is named after the street where the founder of the winery, Blas Muñoz García de la Rosa, was born and raised. Today, the family still conserves the home on this street, where a 17th century underground wine cellar is still used to age the family’s best wines.
PHOTO: Bienvenido Muñoz and his children, Pilar and Bienvenido - Producer
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R&G Rolland - Galarreta France mee ts Spain
Two cultures and two different winemaking styles but a common goal have brought together French winemaker and consultant
Michel Rolland
and Spanish wine entrepreneur Javier Galarreta. They both believe that Spain has excellent terroir and extensive knowhow to make great quality wines with real projection in the international markets. As one of the most influential winemakers in the world, Michel Rolland has worked with wineries across 13 countries and has influenced many aspects of both the French and global wine industry. Since establishing ARAEX in 1993, Javier Galarreta has applied his knowledge on management and strategy to place Spanish wines among the greatest. The company, which was expanded in 2001 to add a wider range of Spanish wines to the Rioja portfolio, is one the leading wine exporters in Spain. An innovative project: France meets Spain.
PHOTO: Michel Rolland & Javier Galarreta - Producers
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L AT EST RELE A SES
Gran Sello The best of Spain’s indigenous grape varie ties
The idea for the Gran Sello range was born in 2010 with the aim of translating 20 years of passion into wines that offer the best of our native grapes. This prestigious family of wines is a tribute to Spain’s indigenous grape varieties: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Verdejo and Macabeo which we use to make wines of impeccable style and elegance. Crafted from the highest quality fruit, the range reveals a side of Spain that is modern and unique. All the wines are made from fruit grown at our vineyards in Central Spain. Planted at altitudes over 700 metres, the wines show tremendous fruit character, freshness and elegance.
PHOTO: Daniel Lorenzo - Winemaker
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Villa Conchi Freshness, modernit y and elegance
The challenge to place Spanish wines in the premium segment of the international markets started in 1993. Javier Ruiz de Galarreta was convinced that premium family bodegas had a great potential in the export markets so he established a common export company for high-end quality estates from Rioja Alavesa and other leading Spanish wine regions. Twenty years later, a celebration is in place. Loyal to his initial philosophy, Javier Galarreta has selected excellent vineyards and modern facilities to produce a “different” Cava. Since 2009, he has been travelling extensively in Catalunya to find partners capable of producing an elegant, fresh sparkling wine. In the heart of the Penedès, he discovered the vineyards and qualities he was looking for to make such style of wine. During his quest to find this Cava, Javier’s mother Conchi passed away in July 2010 and wasn’t able to taste and savour her son’s latest challenge. Villa Conchi is not only a modern, elegant Cava which shows what Spain can offer; it is also a tribute to a woman who was always a source of inspiration for elegance and distinction.
PHOTO: JAVIER GALARRETA - Producer
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Ram贸n y Cajal 7, 1潞A 01007 vitoria - spain T. 34 945 150 588 / +34 945 150 589 F. +34 945 158 283 Email: araex@araex.com www.araex.com www.sfw.es www.thegrandwines.com
Best Spanish Foods Company 2001 - Export Division Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods
Ram贸n y Cajal 7, 1潞A 01007 vitoria - spain T. 34 945 150 588 / +34 945 150 589 F. +34 945 158 283 Email: araex@araex.com www.araex.com www.sfw.es www.thegrandwines.com
Best Spanish Foods Company 2001 - Export Division Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods