Winemaker Notes
Bodegas Bilbainas, one of the ten oldest wineries in Rioja, was founded in 1901 in Haro's iconic Train Station District (Rioja Alta). Its origins go back to 1859, when French producers established in Rioja to produce and export red wine to France. Four decades later, Santiago Ugarte, a businessman from Bilbao, would take up the reins.
Bodegas Bilbainas defines itself as a classically styled winery, which was pioneer 100 years ago in understanding winemaking and viticulture in a very contemporary way, giving primer importance to the vineyards, the terroir and the grapes. Specialized in making vintage wines, Bodegas Bilbainas produces some of the most famed and emblematic wines from Rioja, as La Vicalanda or its flagship brand, Vina Pomal.
Nevertheless, Bilbainas has also strong historical links with the production of sparkling wines since they started to export it to France during World War I. Moreover, they have never abandoned their pioneer spirit, focusing their innovation efforts in surprising estate wines, which aim to find the true expression of varieties as Tempranillo, White Tempranillo, White Maturana, Graciano or Grenache.