Abadia Retuerta Kit

An historic wine estate, Abadia Retuerta is located in Sardon del Duero on the site of the 12th

Century Abbey of Santa María de Retuerta, fully restored and converted into an exclusive 5-star hotel and wellness retreat, complete with a 1-star Michelin restaurant. The property comprises 1,717 acres (695 ha), of which 475 acres (192 ha) are planted on the left bank of the Duero River. With 900 years of winemaking at this storied place, the winery has earned worldwide recognition for terroir-driven winemaking.

SINCE 2010

KEY FACTS CLIMATE: Continental extreme: low rainfall cold winters, hot summers offset by higher elevation and temperature variation

VINE: 475 acres (192 ha) across 54 parcels

KEY VARIETALS: Tempranillo, Syrah,

(760 to 850 m)

Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Garnacha, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo, Godello

SOILS: Sandy closer to to the Duero River,

ECO: Will be fully certified organic in

ELEVATION: 2,460 feet to 2,790 feet

with white clay on the hillsides, deep gravel and limestone in select parcels

2024. Some biodynamic trials

CLASS: DOP Abadía Retuerta

management project underway, based on understanding nature and terroir

INNOVATE: Climate change mitigation

HISTORY Santa María de Retuerta was an ancient working estate at its inception in 1146, where monks continued the traditions of vine-growing and winemaking. Sold directly by the monks, 17th century documents show Abadia Retuerta was the dominant wine at the largest regional market in Valladolid.

The vineyards were largely uprooted under private ownership in the 1970’s.

Bought by Sandoz corporation in 1988, they recognized the unique viticultural potential and collaborated with French winemaker Pascal Delbeck to restore the estate, its vineyard and original landscape. He designed the current winery which was built in 1996. Ángel Anocíbar, current director of viticulture and oenology, joined the team that same year.

Good to Know: Abadía Retuerta’s CSR practices include Goodgenerating to Know : Abadía Retuerta’s CSR practices include generating employment, boosting the local economy and promoting employment, boosting the local economy and promoting sustainable sustainable tourism.

An annual Corporate Social Responsibility tourism.

An annual Corporate Social Reportby is published Report is published under theResponsibility criteria established the Global under Reporting the criteriaInitiative established by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

(GRI).

SUSTAINABLE VALUES The winery invests in sustainability to protect the natural environment. Initiatives include replanting 65,000 pine trees as part of a comprehensive forestry management program; preservation of local vegetation and animal life; organic biological control of pests with sentinel birds; water recycling for irrigation; sale of honey and pine nuts from the estate; and biodiversity management to maximize the diversity and number of natural pollinators.

THE TEAM Winemaker Ángel Anocíbar and Consulting Winemaker Pascal Delbeck (Château Belair, Ausone) have collaborated since 1996 to identify 54 distinct parcels, distinguished by unique soil composition, variety, and exposure.

Affectionately known as "Professor Bacterio” for his obsession with quality and microbiological control of wines, Ángel is responsible for both the vineyard and cellar. This allows for methodical work and steady progress each year in understanding their terroir and how it is expressed in their wines.

TERROIR The Duero River is a defining feature of the Abadia Retuerta terroir, with poor, sandy soils at the lower part of the estate and white clay and limestone deposits on the hillsides. Extreme winters and summer temperatures with limited rainfall are offset by elevation and cooling influences from the meseta, making it one of the best terroirs to confront climate change.

Intensive studies have isolated 54 parcels based on unique soils, exposures, and suitability to different varieties. 4 parcels, Pago Valdebellón (Cabernet Sauvignon), Pago Negralada (Tempranillo), Pago Garduña (Syrah) and PV (Petit Verdot), show particular terroir character and are bottled as single-vineyard wines.

VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING EXPERIMENTATION In the 90s, Abadía Retuerta began to study and recognize the effects of climate change. Varieties that could fare well and be blended with their flagship Tempranillo, like Touriga Nacional, Garnacha and others were planted. The longer cycle of these varietals preserve acidity, and are better adapted to heat and dry environments. They also found an ancestral, pre-phylloxeric variety of Tempranillo surviving in their pine forests. These vines had managed to overcome frosts, fogs, droughts, diseases and are thus adapted specifically to Abadía Retuerta. Those vines are currently being recovered and propagated and will be called Tempranillo Abadía Retuerta.

MICRO-VITICULTURE AND MICRO-VINIFICATION All 54 parcels are independently cultivated, hand-harvested and selected at sorting tables and vinified separately to preserve terroir identity. Native yeast is used for alcoholic fermentation and natural bacteria for malolactic. They practice minimal intervention and adapt all winemaking practices to respond to the nuance of each vintage.

GRAVITY FLOW WINEMAKING The estate’s patented vinification method makes use of gravity in order to achieve a more natural, delicate handling of the grapes, careful to maintain the character of each variety. This follows their general winemaking philosophy, which is driven by the desire to harvest at the right moment to maintain a natural acidity that brings freshness, balance, and fineness of tannins.

There are more than 25 red and white grape varieties planted in Abadía Retuerta’s experimental plots. They will be studied over time to see how they adapt to the terroir and changing climate conditions.

How is the terroir reflected in the wines of Abadía Retuerta?

Soils are extremely varied, which allows Abadía Retuerta to maintain homogeneity and consistency in the vintages. The wines show balsamic aromas, almost menthol from the surrounding scrubland, rockrose, aromatic herbs, and pines.

The dry continental climate makes for deep complexity in mature fruit that yield wines of color and concentration.

Delbeck and Anocíbar carried out an extensive study of climate and soils, revealing a great diversity of microclimates and soils within the farm. The farm is divided into 54 different plots depending on: soil composition, variety, and exposure.

The Terroir of the 4 most singular plots (Negralada, Garduña, Valdebellón, and Petit Verdot) are the perfect balance of soil, microclimate, and variety.

Singularities of the winery Abadia Retuerta is one of the oldest wineries in Spain, and in Europe. Today, the 12th century abbey is a also designated National Patrimony site, and home to a five-star hotel with luxury spa and one-star Michelin restaurant, Le Domaine.

Why is Abadía Retuerta a Grandes Pagos de España winery?

GPE provides the support to Abadia Retuerta’s in its mission to recover the historical splendor of this estate, its natural landscape, its culture, its traditions, its monastery and leave it in better condition for future generations.

ABADÍA RETUERTA PORTFOLIO: Abadia Retuerta

Selección Especial; Pago Negralada; Pago Garduña; Pago Valdebellón; Petit Verdot; Blanco LeDomaine; Cuvée Palomar

Pago Negralada

Selección Especial

DOP Abadía Retuerta

DOP Abadía Retuerta

Varieties

Varieties (2018 vintage)

100% Tempranillo

Vinification 16 months French oak

Good to Know Pure Tempranillo from the Duero. Deep gravel soils with sand on the surface. Distinctive firm, tannic character.

77% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Garnacha

LEARN MORE ABADíA RETUERTA Monastery of Santa María de Retuerta 47340 Retuerta Valladolid

Vinification 12 months American and French oak

Good to Know Mainly Tempranillo with other varieties. A signature blend with vintage character.

ABADIA-RETUERTA.COM @ABADIARETUERTA Contact: Álvaro Pérez Navazo a.perez@abadia-retuerta.es