The tiny village of Paganos lies in the southernmost reaches of Spain’s Basque Country. Home to less than 100 people today, the Garcia de Olano family has been making wine here for at least 3 generations and possibly many more. 

They established Bodegas Garcia de Olano in 1990 while bottling their wine in a small rented garage, common practice for grape growers in the area, and quickly found success from these humble beginnings. In 1997 they moved their operation up the road to a new winery, over-engineered with the capability of producing 1 million bottles per year.

Working well below those quantities today, Fernando, Jose Luis, and Jorge, the three brothers of the family, alongside Nagore, Jose’s wife, press on with producing excellent examples of the region’s typical wines.

Their vineyards, planted in the chalky-clay soil of the area, rest on south-facing slopes sheltered by the Sierra de Cantabria mountain range to the north. With 40 hectares under vine, they farm sustainably, using no chemical treatments to ensure the best quality grapes. 90% of their land is dedicated to growing Tempranillo while the rest is planted with other traditional varieties of the area.

Nearby is Laguardia – a 10th century walled village where cars are not allowed due to the ancient tunnels and wine cellars directly below. One could find the wines of the Garcia de Olano family in the bars and restaurants there, however here in the United States, we are the first and only retailer of their wines!

What time is it? Time for wine~

Located in the village of Lécera, which is 40 km or so away from the scenic city Zaragoza. The Yago Aznar family, generational proprietors of Bodegas Tempore, believe that a necessary component of wine making is to take the time to care for your land and your vines as living organisms. Quite literally, Tempore in Latin directly translates to “time” or “seedtime” as they like to refer to it at this estate.

Through 4 generations and a fervent passion for wine, this family wished to uphold the philosophy that the land, soil, and vines are deserving of the utmost respect.

With this mindset, they rooted themselves from the very beginning as an organic vineyard with minimal interference of the natural environment. Current owner of the estate, Paula Yago Aznar, preserves the methods of production she learned growing up on the estate, as well as adopting new ideas to enhance the essence of their land. Interestingly, Paula is one of few female winemakers in the male-dominated industry, which she believes gives her a natural advantage when it comes to connecting with the land. Working in harmony with the rhythms of the land is what makes wines from this estate so unique.

Laurent and Céline are passionate about conscientious viticulture and maintaining a harmonious coexistence with nature, choosing to treat their soil and vines as living beings that deserve respect. They choose to maintain low yields in order to produce better quality wines, and they practice minimal intervention in their winemaking, using native yeasts and adding as little sulfur as possible, or even none at all. In order to make their wines accessible to all, rather than prioritizing profit, they insist on producing entry-level cuvees as part of their high-quality, highly-regarded portfolio of wines.

Among roaming plains and orchard-covered hills, Mas Codina is situated between misty mountainous ranges in the very heart of Alt Penedès.

In contrast to the sun soaked coasts of nearby Barcelona, this particular area experiences a cooler climate with heavier rainfall and perplexing fog permeating through the early mornings. Looming over the land, the peak of Montserrat keeps an ever-present gaze over the vines, protecting them from the drastic winds and heat from the Mediterranean. On a typical day, the current proprietors, and brothers Toni and Jordi Garriga, are taking immaculate care of their vines and working in the cellar. By staying in accordance with historical practices and modern organic methods, all of the work done to these grapes are by the hands of this family. Dating back to 1681, the Garriga family constructed their home on this hazy 40 hectares of land, and began cultivating grapes, making a living by selling their wine to other farms. Starting in 1985, then 17 year old Toni Garriga took initiative to begin bottling their wines on the premises.

As the generations changed, so did the technology and methods of creating wine, culminating in the recently certified organic productions of cava and exquisite wines.

Mas Codina has ancestry rooted in their vines, and represents everything we love about independent winegrowers.

Founded in 1949 by Rafael Alonso, and the product of generations of winemakers, Bodegas Pardevalles is currently operated by the second and third generations of his family. The estate is located in the village of Valdevimbre in the northwestern autonomous community of Castilla y León. Wine has been made here going back to the 10th Century, and historically the area was an important crossroads of both trade and pilgrimage.

The family’s wines are aged in a subterranean cave that is over 300 years old, which maintains a constant temperature of 12º C and a humidity of 75 – 80%. Their 94 acres of vines are planted primarily with Prieto Picudo and some Albarín, grapes indigenous to the Tierra de León DOP. In fact, the appellation was granted Protected Designation of Origin status in large part due to the unique presence of Prieto Picudo.

This focused cultivation of native varieties reflects Bodegas Pardevalles’ philosophy of a deep respect for the earth while their winemaking focuses on expressing the distinctive character of these rare grapes. The estate has been certified Organic since 2019, and their winemaking beautifully weaves together tradition and modernity.

Pazo das Tapias is owned by Manuel Mendez and his family, who have over 40 years of experience in the industry. Each of their three estates is located in a different appellation in the northwestern region of Galicia, and the family is devoted to the cultivation and vinification of native grapes. This particular estate was founded in 2006 with the goal of combining the local tradition of winemaking with contemporary and innovative techniques, with an eye towards the future.

This estate is found in Monterrei, in the southeast corner of Galicia, in the province of Ourense. Monterrei is the youngest DOP appellation in Galicia, though wine has been made here since the time of the Romans. The estate’s 10 hectares are found on the banks of the Tâmega River, a tributary of the Douro River. First planted in 1970, their vines grow on trellises, as is typical here, to maximize sun exposure and prevent fungal issues by allowing oceanic breezes to blow beneath the vines. Pazo das Tapias grows only Godello and Mencía, having devoted themselves to recovering these indigenous varieties and elevating them to their highest potential.

Bodegas Rueda Perez is found in the Spanish province of Valladolid, about 170 km northwest of Madrid. Winemaking here goes back to the 11th Century, when King Alfonso VI granted lands to both individuals and monasteries. During the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, Valladolid University was one of the most important in Spain, and the province was the site of the royal couple’s wedding in 1469.

The Rueda DOP, established in 1980, is centered here around the town of Rueda. The appellation is best known for its production of the indigenous grape Verdejo. Skillfully grown on this farm, it is a hardy grape that is perfectly suited to the region’s hot, dry summers and harsh, often freezing winters.

The Rueda Perez family grows Tempranillo and Verdejo over 140 hectares. Although their estate on the banks of the Duero River was built in 2002, the family has had three generations devoted to winemaking (and counting). They take great care in the production of their wines, harvesting only on cool nights once the grapes have reached the perfect point of ripeness to maintain juicy acidity. Their respect for the land and dedication to their vineyards are the stuff exceptional wines are made of.

The Peñalba Lopez family has owned Finca Torremilanos since 1975, but its winemaking tradition goes back to 1903. Led by matriarch Pilar Pérez Albéniz, one of the most highly respected women in Ribera del Duero, it is at the forefront of both traditional and experimental winemaking. The second-oldest estate in the appellation, in 2015 also earned the distinction of being its first Demeter-certified biodynamic winery.

Located in Aranda de Duero in north central Spain, the 200-hectare estate is found at an altitude of 800-900 meters. Here among their meticulously tended vineyards Doña Pilar’s winemaker/farmer sons Ricardo and Vicente treat the land like another member of the family whom they’ve loved as long as they can remember. The family has a philosophy of respect for the environment, and consider themselves “Artisans of the Earth”. They forgo the use of herbicides or insecticides, practice drylands agriculture, plow using horses, hand-pick their grapes, and ferment using native yeasts only. Growing primarily Tempranillo grapes on a variety of parcels with a range of soil types and levels of sun exposure results in an excitingly diverse, high-quality range of wines. Finca Torremilanos’ passion for the art of growing and vinifying their native variety is both remarkable and moving.