Finca Valpiedra Terroir Profile - Grandes Pagos de España

Located in one of the great curves of the Ebro River, Valpiedra is Spanish for “Stone

Valley,” highlighting one of the most important features of the soil. The winery owns 198 acres (81 ha) of vineyards spread across 14 unique parcels, making wines that are in harmony with their surroundings and expressive of Valpiedra’s exceptional terroir in the Rioja Alta subzone. With generations of wine knowledge at their disposal, Finca Valpiedra is known for single-vineyard Rioja with great personality and depth.

SINCE 2004

KEY FACTS CLIMATE: Continental with Atlantic

influence, with some warmer years more continental with Mediterranean influence; hot summer days and cool nights

ELEVATION: 1,378 feet (421 meters) SOILS: Alluvial with sandy-loam texture and some clay

CLASS: DOCa Rioja

HISTORY Founded just 25 years ago in 1999, Finca Valpiedra is a relatively new winery. But the people behind it – the Martínez Bujanda family – have been making wine for over a century. Now in their fourth generation, the family dedicates their efforts to preserving the terroir and microclimate of the land year after year.

A fifth generation can already be found working among the vines.

VINE: 198 acres (81 ha) across 14 parcels KEY VARIETALS: Tempranillo,

Graciano, Garnacha, Maturana Tinta, Viura, White Garnacha, Malvasia, White Maturana

ECO: Practicing organic, with certification coming in 2024

INNOVATE: Genetic research of

Tempranillo, organic wines, traditional viticulture

SUSTAINABILITY Finca Valpiedra practices minimal intervention in the vineyard and cellar. The wines will be certified organic in 2024, and the estate has made significant investments in biodiversity, nurturing indigenous flora and fauna which also help in maintaining vine health. For example, a local population of bats control flying insects, and well-positioned stands of trees block strong winds which would otherwise dry out the vines and increase the need to irrigate. Valpiedra has also cultivated indigenous flora in order to encourage more nutrient-rich soils that will lead to healthier fruit.

THE FAMILY Finca Valpiedra is a family-owned and family-run winery.

The fourth-generation owners, Carlos and Pilar Martínez Bujanda, followed their ancestors in developing and promoting the culture of estate wines. Pilar's daughter, Marta, joined the winery in 2002 and is in winery management like her mother. Adrián, Carlos’ youngest son, joined the company in 2019.

Winemaker Lauren Rosillo has worked with the family since 2002 as technical director and vineyard manager, remaining committed to the culture of single-vineyard estate wines that the Martínez Bujanda family helped create.

GOOD TO KNOW Carlos and Pilar say that when their father Jesús bought Finca Valpiedra in 1974, it was a time when wineries gave less importance to the vineyards. Since it was an estate difficult to cultivate with so many stones, others in the area laughed. When they asked why he bought such a rocky property, he calmly answered, “If the vines won’t grow, we will make a quarry.”

TERROIR The Ebro River is the overarching feature of Valpiedra, which affects the specificity of both climate and soil. The river primarily contributes to the region’s humidity and protects the vines from frost, while the surrounding Sierra de Cantabria Mountains provide cover from cold northerly winds. The climate hovers between Atlantic and Mediterranean, with long, warm summers for ripening.

The landscape is distributed across three terraces that descend to the river and are further divided into 14 separate plots. The soil is alluvial, with stones and limestone interspersed throughout. The property’s namesake stone soils support the vines’ balanced access to water, light and heat, accelerating the ripening of fruit. A high level of calcium, nitrogen, phosphorous, copper and iron all contribute to the natural acidity of the soil.

The style of the wines is guided by alluvial soil more so than what is expected of Rioja where clay soil is more common, yielding modern, elegant and long-lasting wines.

VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING TEMPRANILLO Estate vineyards were planted in the 60s and 70s, before the expansion of Rioja vineyards with very productive Tempranillo clones in the 80s. Valpiedra used a massal selection of low-yielding old vines from the Rioja Alta area. The mix of high-density planting in goblet form supports an ideal vegetative balance. This variety is used for Finca Valpiedra and Cantos de Valpiedra.

MATURANA & GARNACHA Valpiedra grows the native Maturana grape, which is only found in Rioja. It has intense color, high acidity, medium alcohol content and tends aromatically toward green pepper, balsamic and spicy notes. Maturana’s notable structure and acidity lend freshness and nerve to Tempranillo blends. Valpiedra invests in researching the variety’s ageability in barrels. They also make a Garnacha from an experimental seven-acre (three ha) plot, where buds from centennial vines were grafted onto other old vines.

WHITE VARIETIES Though Valpiedra is known for red wines, white varieties are planted in the estate’s oldest plot. La Peña del Gato is a 120-year-old plot with Viura, Malvasía, Maturana Blanca and Garnacha Blanca. The small amount of white grapes was previously added to the red Reserva, and is now vinified as Finca Valpiedra Reserva White.

ORGANIC VITICULTURE The vineyards are fertilized with organic matter, avoiding synthetic treatments. All fruit in Finca Valpiedra is harvested by hand and undergoes a two-stage selection: first on the vine, and then on the sorting table to ensure that only the highest-quality fruit goes into the press.

Singularities of the Winery

How is the terroir reflected in the wines of Finca Valpiedra?

Finca Valpiedra makes wines reflective of their predominantly stony terroir, which allows for steady, complete ripening of the polyphenols and aromatics.

Finca Valpiedra Reserva, for instance, has a profile that is more vertical than horizontal, with pronounced minerality, floral and balsamic notes on the nose and a finely-tuned palate.

Likewise, Cantos de Valpiedra is an authentic reflection of Valpiedra Tempranillo. Here, the alluvial soil brings a verticality and silkiness to the wine. On the nose, it maintains the terroir’s aromatic profile with minerality and balsamic notes. The palate shows a silky, elegant texture and a breadth of flavors with low-alcohol.

Finca Valpiedra has a single extension of 198 acres (81 ha) of vineyard, which is unusual in Rioja. All 14 parcels benefit from the stony, alluvial soil, whereas clay is more common in the rest of Rioja. Their location on a curve of the Ebro river also brings a unique microclimate that is a moderating influence on extremes.

Why is Finca Valpiedra a Grandes Pagos de España winery?

The association represents the philosophy of Familia Martínez Bujanda and the added value that they strive to bring to their wines and estates. They share the passion for the pursuit of excellence, the singularity of their pagos and stewardship of the environment to achieve exceptional wines.

FINCA VALPIEDRA PORTFOLIO: Finca Valpiedra Reserva, Finca Valpiedra White Reserva, Petra de Valpiedra, Cantos De Valpiedra

Finca Valpiedra Reserva

Cantos De Valpiedra

DOCa Rioja

DOCa Rioja

Varieties

Varieties

92% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano, 4% Maturana Tinta

100% Tempranillo

Vinification Fermentation in stainless steel; aged 22 months in French oak

Fermentation in stainless steel; aged 12 months in French and American oak

Good To Know

Good To Know

Graciano and Maturana bring acidity to the final blend

Vinification

Cellar aging before release; classified as a crianza

LEARN MORE FINCA VALPIEDRA El Montecillo, s/n 26360 Fuenmayor La Rioja FINCAVALPIEDRA.COM @FINCAVALPIEDRA Contact: Diego Martínez Aroca dmartinez@bujanda.com

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