Bodega Heras Cordón

Spanish winemaking, particularly regarding wines from Rioja, the most famous wine region in Spain, is experiencing a revolutionary period in which more and more producers create terroir-driven and site specific wines often from historic and old vineyards. Bodegas Heras Cordón has kept and respected its tradition in making classic Crianza and Reserva wines, but also been open-minded to the new style Rioja, putting the family Bodega in the forefront of wineries in the Rioja Alavesa region. A unique feature of this bodega is that they are the only winery in Rioja to deliver to the Vatican. It follows that TrySpanish.online has good reason to make Heras Cordón their winery of the month, not in the least the average quality – price ratio, which gets top scores from many international critics!

Located in Fuenmayor, which lies in the heart of the D.O.Ca. Rioja wine region and has a long tradition of viticulture and winery activity, the winery profits from the fertile lands that have been prized for grape cultivation for centuries.

The Heras Cordón family’s Rioja red winemaking tradition dates back to the 19th century when they built their first cellars, carved into the earth and rock, in Lapuebla de Labarca, in the Rioja Alavesa region. Today, the winery is managed by three Cordón brothers, blending modern technology with traditional winemaking practices to create remarkable aged red wines.

Construction of the new winery began in 1995 with a 10-meter underground excavation where Rioja wines destined for aging and reserve are aged and matured. As a nod to its traditional past, the winery was built with stones from abandoned 19th-century railway stations. Its distinctive feature is its door. Originally from a ruined cloistered monastery in Segovia, it was recovered and restored to offer a majestic welcome to visitors.

In 2001, the winery’s construction was completed, coinciding with the production of the first Heras Cordón wine in these facilities, which the Regulatory Council rated as an excellent vintage and the vintage of the century.

Currently the family owns 50 hectares of vineyards and also purchases the production from another sixty hectares from local growers, whom they advise to ensure they obtain exceptional grapes. All the vineyards are located in two prestigious sub-regions renowned for their quality: Rioja Alta (Fuenmayor, Cenicero, and Navarrete) and Rioja Alavesa (Laguardia, Elciego, and Lapuebla de La Barca).

They also have future plans to open a wine shop and building a small, eight-room hotel as well as a warehouse for finished products.

Heras Cordón produces quality Rioja wines under the Rioja Designation of Origin and one is particularly special as it is destined only for the Pope. This winery boasts being the only Rioja winery with a presence in the Vatican, a relationship that began almost 20 years ago with John Paul II and continues to this day with 2,000 bottles now making their way to Rome via Madrid every year.

The tradition started with John Paul II who opened the doors of the Holy See to the Fuenmayor-based winemakers after a contest aimed at choosing which La Rioja winery would win the prestigious contract.

Benedict XVI extended the contract and now Pope Francis – who comes from a completely different wine culture in Argentina – has given his seal of approval to Heras Cordón’s blend of tempranillo, graciano and mazuelo (carignan) grapes which are grown in established vineyards between Lapuebla de Labarca and Fuenmayor.

herascordon.com

Ctra. Lapuebla de Labarca km 2, Apartment 29, 26360 Fuenmayor, La Rioja, Spain
Tel +34 941 451 413
tienda@herascordon.com