Despite being one of the oldest producers in Haro’s legendary Barrio de la Estación, it is also the smallest and, for some time, also the least known. It was founded in 1886 by Ángel Gómez de Arteche, a pharmacist, chemist and inventor. In addition to winemaking, he also help establish one of Spain's first fertiliser plants with a group of investors. Following his death in 1912, the wine business entered a difficult period, and in 1916 brothers Agustín and Jesús Gómez Cruzado purchased the winery and gave it its current name. 

A succession of investors steered the company throughout the 20th century until it was purchased in 2004 by the Baños family, originally from Badarán in La Rioja but long settled in Mexico.

The wines had low market visibility during the second half of the 20th century and for a time they were mostly available in Mexico —little wonder the brand was virtually unknown in Spain. It’s in fact remarkable that Gómez Cruzado survived those obscure years without being taken over by one of the larger neighbouring producers.

However, the 21st century marked a clear turning point for Gómez Cruzado. The arrival of oenologist David González and viticulture specialist Juan Antonio Leza in the late 2000s, first as consultants and later as managers, proved pivotal to this revival. Although both have since moved on —González was the last to leave, in 2023, and is now in charge of Viña Salceda in Elciego, Rioja Alavesa— their legacy endures. They laid the groundwork for a solid range of wines with a distinctly contemporary edge, often built upon the reinterpretation of historic brands and traditional styles. 

A defining hallmark of this period is the focus on old Garnacha vines in the Alto Najerilla valley. Once known primarily for rosé production, this area of clay-ferrous soils stretching south of the Ebro towards the Sierra de la Demanda mountains, has benefited considerably from climate change and now yields white and red wines with a strong character. Gómez Cruzado's other key sourcing area lies in the cooler reaches of Rioja Alta, particularly the Sonsierra.

The wines

From groundbreaking blends such as the 50% Tempranillo, 50% Garnacha behind the Vendimia Seleccionada created by the duo, to the project evolved towards reviving the two classic Rioja styles of yesteryear, distinguished by the shape of the bottle. Burgundy-shaped bottles signal wines with a high proportion of Garnacha, while Bordeaux-shaped bottles are for Tempranillo-dominated blends with ageing potential.

Garnacha from Najerilla plays an important role in the winery’s more approachable wines. It represents 20% of the Tempranillo-based Crianza (€9.50) and over 50% of the aromatic and lively El Predilecto (€13). The Reserva, formerly sold in Bordeaux bottles, has been replaced by the historic Viña Dorana (€25), now presented in Burgundy bottles. A blend of around 60% Tempranillo and 40% Garnacha, Viña Dorana is sourced entirely from the Alto Najerilla valley. Other revived brands with Tempranillo-led blends presented in Bordeaux bottles include Honorable (€28), the oldest registered brand of Gómez Cruzado, and Viña Motúlleri (€94), the current top red, produced exclusively in magnum. Both wines have good ageing potential and are made from old vines grown in the Sonsierra area. 

The Segundo Año white (€11, second year) offers remarkable complexity for its price thanks to its ageing, which is mainly in concrete tanks with a portion matured in French oak, and an original blend dominated by Viura (70%), plus Tempranillo Blanco, Garnacha Blanca and Malvasía.

There is an additional range of terroir-driven wines, reflecting a similar dichotomy of areas and grape varieties. Pancrudo (€39) is a crisp, spicy and fragrant Garnacha from Badarán in the Alto Najerilla. By contrast, Cerro las Cuevas (€45) is a Tempranillo-dominated blend crafted from grapes from the winery's own vineyards in Ollauri. The third wine in this range is Montes Obarenes (€44), a white with ageing potential, made from Viura and Tempranillo Blanco grapes grown around Haro. It is aged in French oak barrels, with 20% of the wine resting in egg-shaped concrete tanks.

Gómez Cruzado produces around 350,000 bottles annually. Juan Bautista Sáenz has served as technical director since the 2023 harvest and brings extensive experience in Rioja, having previously worked at Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez.

The winery is open form Monday to Sunday. Walk-in tastings are available without prior reservation, although guided tours and formal tastings with a full explanation of the main wines must be booked in advance.