Vintae began making wine in Ribera del Duero in 2005. Initially driven by a commercial approach, the first focus was on the central strip of the DO, with particular attention to Olmedillo and Moradillo de Roa, two villages in Burgos province.
The special character of the Moradillo vineyards, situated on the Corcos plateau at almost 1,000 metres elevation, prompted the company to step up its commitment to the higher and cooler areas of the region. In 2016, the team at Vintae decided to explore the vineyards of Soria, at the eastern end of the DO. In their view, this province offers healthy growing conditions due to its higher elevation and cooler climate. The soils also have a strong personality. While the abundance of sand and gravel on the topsoil provides good drainage, the clay below retains water and the limestone rock adds character. About a third of the grapes destined for Bardos come from Soria.
After years of experience and a better knowledge of the grapes, Bardos has moved away from traditional ageing designations (Crianza, Reserva...) in favour of a terroir-driven approach, while minimising the weight of the oak in the wines with the introduction of 500-litre barrels and oak vats for ageing.
Starting with the 2020 vintage, the winery's new flagship red is Bardos Viñedos de Altura (just over 100,000 bottles, €14). The grapes come from old vines in Soria province, between the villages of Alcubilla de Avellaneda and Villálvaro. The wine is aged for 12 months in oak vessels of various sizes.
There are also two village reds that reflect the two main focal points of Vintae in the region, with 40 hectares of vines of their own: Selección de Viñedos de Moradillo de Roa, in Burgos, and Selección de Viñedos de Villálvaro, in Soria. The first comes from vines that are 80 to 90 years old, planted on stone over clay on the Corcos plateau at 960 m elevation. The Villálvaro red comes from vines aged between 80 and 140 years old. The landscape here is a patchwork of small plots with fragmented ownership; the soils are very poor, with sand and some gravel over a layer of clay and iron, which provides freshness. Both wines are aged in 5,000-litre vats and retail at around €36 in Spain.
The winery produces just under 300,000 bottles. A white Verdejo (€7.5) from Rueda is also released under the Bardos brand. The grapes are sourced from Rueda and La Seca and the wine is aged on the lees for four months.
The wines can be bought at the winery’s online store.
