Tribute to a century-old vineyard: Salas

We are aware that taking care of our environment is the only way to protect the natural and heritage elements of our vineyard. Only in this way will we be able to conserve these oenological treasures of the past and preserve them for future generations.

This is the case of Salas. A unique plot marked by the orography of the Sierra de Toloño in the municipality of Leza. 2.6 hectares of old vineyards with centenary vines, which, after several months of research and documentation with different owners and administrations, we can point out that its planting year dates back to 1911.

These particularities, together with the microclimate caused by the mountainous orography, make Salas a plot with unique and exceptional characteristics for the maturation of the raw material. Vines with 113 years of existence in which Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano predominate together with other plants of diverse white varieties such as Viura. We could speak of micro-plots with their own identity within the same vineyard.

We wanted to pay tribute to the authenticity and personality of this unique site that has defied the passage of time. Under the guidance of the Álvarez family, fourth generation of Galician master stonemasons, a hand-carved stone has been built as a tribute to a centuries-old vineyard that we continue to care for with a viticulture that is extremely respectful of the environment and the natural cycles of the vine.

Recuperación de elementos patrimoniales

As part of our commitment to the landscape, the environment and the natural and cultural richness, we have developed a recovery project with the aim of enhancing the value of the historical heritage that we found in our vineyards.

In the Salas plot, our colleagues have worked to rehabilitate an old well that was located in the middle of the vineyard and was formerly used to treat vineyard diseases. Specifically, this well collected the rainwater where the copper sulfate stones were poured and whose mixture was used to prevent mildew in the vineyard. Although it is no longer used for this purpose, our work consisted in raising the stones of this old well again as part of the viticultural history of the Rioja Alavesa.

Subsequently, the viticulture team, during recovery work on the plot, discovered a second well and a stone wall, the reconstruction of which is being studied for the near future. These actions, in addition to allowing us to restore the architectural elements, make it easier for these spaces to become the home and refuge of small mammals and reptiles, favoring the ecosystem of the environment.