Aging
The aging of the wines takes place in the winery itself, in Laguardia, under the
slopes of the Sierra de Cantabria, in an underground warehouse located 6 meters underneath the ground. The winery is located at an altitude of 690 m. These circumstances cause the wines to age naturally at an average annual temperature of 13º, thus favoring the preservation of the fruity character of the wine. 850 American and French oak barrels complete the aging warehouse, using 225 liter barrels and 500 liter barrels.
Almost 35% of the barrels are new and the remaining 65% never exceed 3 years of age.
The final aging of the wines is completed with a refining in the bottle in optimal natural conditions of temperature and humidity.
Iker Unzalu
Winemaker and Technical Director of the Winery
Born into a family directly linked to the wine sector, Iker Unzalu soon decided he would dedicate his life to wine. In 1987, he began studying Enology at the Polytechnic School of Logroño (La Rioja), finishing it in 1990.
In 1991 in Libourne-Montagne (Bourdeaux) continues his training in the Lycee of Libourne-Montagne specializing in the area of “Winemaking”. He finished his studies in 1994. During his period of apprenticeship in France he combines his academic training with work in different Chateaux de Bourdeaux. In 1995, after 8 years of training, he fully enters the family winery in Villabuena (Rioja Alavesa), as enologist, actively participating in the management of the winery.
Elaboration
This modern winery, equipped with stainless steel tanks of between 5,000 and 20,000 liters, are of semi-frustoconical geometry and have cooling jackets for proper temperature control. This combines traditional techniques with the latest technological advances. Likewise they have systems of automatic overhaul that guarantee an optimal fermentation to control the winemaking and extract better the properties of the grape.
