Martinez Bujanda

A family name that is invariably linked to Rioja’s winemaking history. For more than a hundred years, since Joaquín Martínez-Bujanda in 1889 founded the bodega in the Basque Riojan village of Oyón, the family has been at the forefront of enology in the area. Owners of three wineries: Bodegas Martínez Bujanda, Finca Valpiedra, and Cosecheros y Criadores, the fourth and fifth-generation led by Jesús gained recognition and world-wide prestige by emphasizing traditional winemaking, overall quality, and innovation. In fact, they have driven forward the somewhat sleepy Appellation during the late ’80s by such acts as rediscovering the traditional Garnacha variety and using it for long-aging wines, defending the use of Cabernet Sauvignon (almost cursed in Rioja) or producing the first Riojan-barrel-fermented-white-wine. Finca Valpiedra is the family’s Estate Vineyard. 80 hectares devoted to Tempranillo (majority), Cabernet Sauvignon, Graciano, and Mazuelo 25-year-old vines located in a stunning area in Fuenmayor (Rioja Alta) and crowned by spectacular château-style premises. 4,000 oak barrels of French and American origin, very selective picking, training, and pruning are just some of the factors that make Finca Valpiedra Reserva, the sole bottling from the Estate named after the land, so special. A very modern wine meticulously made by one of Rioja’s most emblematic families.”