Viñedos El Pacto is Vintae's most ambitious, terroir-driven project and draws on village wines, traditional vineyards and old vines. The name actually alludes to a "pact of gratitude to unite the past and present to ensure the future".

The wines are sourced from old, traditional vineyards in two specific areas of Rioja: the Sonsierra and the Alto Najerilla valley, a 30-minute drive south-west of Logroño. The range includes local cuvées and several single-vineyard wines, including two reds designated as Viñedo Singular.

In the first area, El Pacto de la Sonsierra (70,000 bottles, €14 in Spain) is a great value Tempranillo blend sourced from around 30 plots dotted around the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria mountain range. The elegant, firm single-vineyard Riojanda Viñedo Singular (1.300 bottles, €60) comes from a 0.31 ha plot planted in 1920 on the road from Laguardia to Navaridas. Once again, Tempranillo dominates the blend, which also includes small amounts of Graciano, Mazuelo and some white grapes. The wine is aged in new 500-litre French oak barrels.

Alto Najerilla

The range is wider in the case of the Alto Najerilla valley. It starts with a white (18,000 bottles, €187) sourced from several north-facing plots planted to Viura, some Malvasía and Garnacha Blanca on clayey, ferrous soils between Cárdenas and Nájera, and continues with El Pacto de Cárdenas (12.000 bottles, €19). This is a field blend of almost equal parts of red (60%) and white (40%) grapes, predominantly Garnacha and Viura, sourced from three 100-year-ols plots plus another one planted in 1957 on similar clayey, ferrous  soils and aged in 5,000-litre oak vat.

The premium range includes the red Valdechuecas Viñedo Singular (around 5,000 bottles, €50) and two more wines under the name Jesús Acha. Valdechuecas is a juicy, expressive Garnacha from Cárdenas. The grapes come from a terraced plot planted in 1912 and 1918, and the wine is fermented in concrete vats and aged in foudre.

The range Jesús Acha is a tribute to the father of Vintae's winemaker, Raúl Acha. Jesús was a dedicated grape grower with a strong commitment to preserving the old vines of Cárdenas. Grapes for the white wine (1,400 bottles, €120) come from his favourite vineyard, Senda de Haro, a 0.47-hectare plot planted in 1912 on clay and conglomerate rocks. The wine is aged in large oak barrels.

Another cherished vineyard in Cárdenas that passed through several generations of the family is Pieza La Villa (1,400 bottles, €102). Planted in 1920 on a slope at 570m elevation, this high density, 0.3-hectare plot was particularly treasured by Jesús. Predominantly Garnacha with small amounts of Mazuelo, Tempranillo and white varieties, the wine is fermented with 25% whole bunches and aged in 500-litre Austrian oak barrels. It offers a deep, mineral profile.