2024 · Valserrano Blanco

Valserrano is the family-owned estate of Bodegas de la Marquesa in Villabuena de Álava, at the heart of Rioja Alavesa. Founded in the late 19th century by Francisco Javier Solano y Eulate, the winery remains in family hands, now led by Juan Pablo de Simón and the fifth generation. Its vineyards are worked by hand, with old, low-yielding vines and key parcels including goblet-trained El Ribazo and higher-altitude El Monte, beside a protected stone-pine forest. The estate emphasizes integrated production from its own vineyards, respect for the land, and careful preservation of quality. Wines are fermented by parcel and variety, then aged slowly in oak and historic underground calados more than 200 years old, whose natural temperature and humidity support traditional Rioja Alavesa maturation. Carbon-neutral shipping and vegan or vegetarian labeling are part of its sustainability initiatives, although no organic certification is noted.