In an era when many wineries in DO Ribera del Duero sourced grapes from single sites, AALTO sought to diversify. In 1999, renowned winery co-founder and winemaker Mariano García began in 1999 masterfully vinifing and blending Tempranillo from select old-vine parcels in well-known municipalities like La Horra, La Aguilera and Valbuena. As the project grew, the founders built a winery on a plot of 37 acres in Quintanilla de Arriba. Today, AALTO works with over 200 extraordinary parcels throughout the region to achieve complexity and elegance in their wines.
SINCE 2004
KEY FACTS CLIMATE: Continental extreme: Long, cold winters and dry, hot summers; frost-free periods are short
ELEVATION: 2,461 - 3,117 feet
VINE: 321 acres (130 ha) in more than
200 plots located in nine municipalities
KEY VARIETALS: Tempranillo
(750 - 930 m)
SOILS: Soils vary by plot: clay, sands, limestones, gravel and combinations
CLASS: DO Ribera del Duero
HISTORY Mariano García and Javier Zaccagnini founded AALTO in 1999. They vinified the grapes they sourced in rented facilities in the early years, eventually purchasing land in Quintanilla de Arriba to build a winery. They commissioned the winery design from well-known architect Jesús Manzanares, who incorporated gravity-flow functionality in a minimalist style. In 2005, the first harvest arrived at the new winery. In 2006, the Nozaleda and Masaveu families, both noted winery owners, joined the AALTO partnership.
ECO: Each vineyard is farmed without herbicides or chemical fertilizers
INNOVATE: Photovoltaic panels provide green energy
SUSTAINABLE VALUES The basis for AALTO wines is old vines, most of which are between 60 and 100 years old. The winery works very closely with the families that cultivate these vines, who are very conscious of the viticultural legacy started by their grandparents. Minimal intervention is crucial to protect the native yeasts on the skins, which are used to spontaneously ferment the wines. Biodiversity is also encouraged to maintain the balance and rich environment that keep these older vines healthy and vital.
THE TEAM Winemaker Mariano García, who spent several decades as the Technical Director of Vega Sicilia, has spent his career making wine throughout Castilla-Léon. Joining Mariano at AALTO after working under him at Vega Sicilia, Winemaker Antonio Moral oversees daily operations. He was born and raised in Ribera del Duero, and is fascinated by its history, geography and geology. His extensive knowledge of the region serves him well as he works with the grapes from distinct local terroirs. Winemaker: Antonio Moral
TERROIR TERROIR
A key pillar of the winery is to work with a wide range of distinct terroirs within Ribera del Duero. They manage vineyards in nine different municipalities. Soil composition and orography differ significantly. For example, the pale brown, calcareous clay hillsides of Quintanilla de Arriba produce grapes with character influenced by limestone. This is contrasted with the terraced, pre-mountain vineyards in Moradillo. The soil there is rocky, with stones of fluvial and glacial origin. These parcels are also much further from the moderating influence of the Duero River, and have a more extreme microclimate. Soil compositions from other municipalities include ferrous clay, sand, sandstone, loam and alluvial and are coupled with variations in orientation, microclimate and orography.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING THREE PILLARS The quality of AALTO wines rests on three pillars: old vineyards with massal selections of Tempranillo, a variety of distinct terroirs and Mariano García’s extensive experience in the region. The winery has long-term agreements with owners of choice parcels. AALTO’s team directs cultivation efforts and monitors each parcel carefully since there are great differences in conditions. Goals are to ensure quality, concentration and even ripening. Grapes are hand-harvested at the optimal time and transported to the winery where they are kept separate by parcel. VINIFICATION Grapes are sorted and chilled at the winery before being destemmed and crushed. Each plot is vatted separately in stainless steel, concrete or oak vats that were designed by Mariano. Cold maceration gives way to spontaneous fermentation with native yeast. Three soft pump-overs daily allow for a gentle extraction, while maintaining fruit character and freshness. After malolactic fermentation, wines are aged in French and American oak. Aging times are determined by tasting. AALTO, their primary label, is a blend of wines from the different municipalities. The final blend is chosen by the character of the whole plot each year, rather than a selection by barrel, with the goal of creating a balanced and complex wine. A small quantity of wine from the best parcels each year are blended in AALTO PS (Pagos Seleccionados).
AALTO has very old vines from 60 to 100 years old. At that time, vineyards were usually planted with cuttings from the best performing vines from the family’s or neighbors’ vineyard. These vines are usually very well-adapted to the terroir and produce high-quality grapes.
How is the terroir reflected in the wines of AALTO?
Singularities of the winery
The calcareous-clay soils contain layers of sedimentation including gravel, sand and silt. This gives the Tempranillo complexity, breadth and length on the palate. Aromas range from red fruits to licorice. Freshness and structure in the wines come from the high altitude and the extreme continental climate. The vinification process seeks to respect and express the character of the fruit and the plot. Native yeast is used to ferment the must in stainless steel tanks to preserve the typicity of the variety and terroir, and oak aging enhances spicy notes and integrates the palate.
AALTO has an extraordinary range of parcels in very diverse areas of Ribera del Duero. The blend of wines from nine different vintages produces a singular interpretation of Tempranillo from the region.
Why is AALTO a Grandes Pagos de España winery? Founders Mariano Garcia and Javier Zaccagnini were great supporters of GPE and spearheaded the initial expansion of the organization to other areas of Spain in 2004. Their dedication to exploring the terroirs of Ribera del Duero sets the highest standards for quality in the region.
AALTO PORTFOLIO: AALTO, AALTO PS
AALTO DO Ribera del Duero
Varieties
LEARN MORE AALTO PS DO Ribera del Duero
Varieties
100% Tempranillo
100% Tempranillo
Vinification
Vinification
Average of 18 months in French and American oak
Average of 21 months in French oak
Good to Know
Selection of the best plots from La Horra and La Aguilera
From vines 40 to 80 years old – from nine different villages
Good to Know
AALTO Paraje Vallejo de Carril 47360 Quintanilla de Arriba Valladolid AALTO.ES @AALTOWINERY Contact: Eduardo Ferrín eduardo@aalto.es
For more information about The Terroir Workshop, including updates on upcoming class schedules, please register here.