Bodegas de Ayala ‘Vina Santurnia’ | Rioja Alta

The de Ayala family can trace their roots in the village of Brinas back to the 18th century. Wine production began in the mid 1800's with Tomás de Ayala and then in 1970, Tomás' grandson Ramón de Ayala, together with his wife Flora Orive, started selling their wine, under the brand Viña Santurnia. They were one of the first wine producers to obtain the Denomination of Origin Rioja.

Now Gonzalo de Ayala, and his uncle Ramón, work together in the vineyards and cellar to produce traditional wines of Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva status. Today they are a 30 ha estate, with 8 ha of old vines near Brinas and a small parcel of vines in the area, outside of Haro, known as the meander de Tondonia. Their vineyards, nestled at the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria on calcareous clay soils, are right on the line separating Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. With few (but well-known) neighbours their old vines are at a slightly higher altitude for the area and benefit from the windy slopes surrounding them. The quality of the fruit is so important for the long ageing required to obtain a balanced Reserva, and Gran Reserva wine.

They practice lutte raisonnée in the vineyards and only spray as a last resort. The cellar is clean and well organized, when you have so many vintages in one location for the ageing, there must be order!