Located in Oyón (Álava), Valdemar boasts a very long winemaking tradition —they celebrated their 130 anniversary in 2019. The company revamped its portfolio in the 1980s with the brand Conde Valdemar and a market-oriented philosophy that has been maintained ever since.

Valdemar produced Rioja’s first barrel-fermented white in the 1988 vintage, as well as the first Garnacha Reserva. The family also pioneered the work with lesser known grape varieties in the appellation. They started planting Graciano in the early 1990s and were among the first producers in Rioja to grow white Tempranillo and red Maturana.

The fifth generation, led by Ana and Jesús Martínez Bujanda, has led a small revolution in recent times establishing a new winery in Walla Walla, one of the most dynamic regions in Washington state in the US.

Back in Rioja, there was also a generational change in the winemaking team with the arrival of Antonio Orte as new technical director.

Vineyards in Rioja Alavesa and Oriental

It’s striking that a winery producing 180,000 cases per year sources all of its grapes from their own vineyards. Most of the vines are located in Rioja Alavesa, but the family own a 100-hectare property in the Ocón valley (Rioja Oriental) where 77Ha are under vine. With its stony soils, it lies at an altitude between 528m and 641m. White grapes are sourced from the Alto Cantabria vineyard in Rioja Alavesa

Valdemar carried out a detailed study of its 300Ha of vineyards which allowed them to identify their top plots and helped them to launch new wines and revamp their portfolio. As a result, Valdemar is now the flagship brand for all the wines made by the Martínez-Bujanda family. 

All classical wines are under the Conde Valdemar brand. It starts with three entry-level, young wines retailing around €7 in Spain: a white made from 70% Viura, a red Tempranillo and a rosé  blend of Garnacha and 30% Viura. One step above is the white Tempranillo Blanco (€12). The range of Crianza (€11), Reserva (€15) and Gran Reserva (€25) are all Tempranillo-based wines blended with various quantities of Graciano, Mazuelo and occasionally Maturana depending on vintage variations. The top red is Conde Valdemar Edición Limitada (around €36), a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Maturana Tinta sourced from different properties and intended for cellaring.

The specific approach to each site has resulted in a range of single-vineyard wines. The first three, priced between €30 and €35 in Spain, each represent a property and a grape variety: Las Seis Alhajas Graciano, Balcón de Pilatos Maturana Tinta and La Recaja Tempranillo, the latter sourced from the family's oldest vineyard in Rioja. In addition, Rioja Oriental's flagship vineyard, La Gargantilla, produces three different wines: a red Garnacha (€35), a Tempranillo (€35) and an ambitious sparkling rosé, also made from Garnacha (€65).

Of particular note is Finca Alto Cantabria (€25), the first barrel-fermented white wine in Rioja with a proven ability to develop beautifully with time. This unique site, now recognised under Rioja's new Viñedo Singular classification, sits atop a high plateau on the left bank of the Ebro. Its shallow, stony, limestone soils, combined with excellent sun exposure and natural ventilation, has made it possible to produce Rioja’s first sparkling wine to bear the Viñedo Singular designation (€68).

Valdemar also own Fincas Valdemacuco in Ribera del Duero where they make two Tempranillos — Roble (€10) and Crianza (€19).

The firm currently exports to over 55 different countries. Valdemar specialises in bespoke winery tours, fully accessible for the disabled, and corporate and incentive events.