STORY

This story began four decades ago before Samuel Lopez & Adela Folgueral took over the running of the family vineyards. It used to serve as the family livelihood of the ancestors who sold grapes and wine in bulk to small costumers in the area around

From the beginning of this stage, a transformation of the viticulture was carried out in order to find a better balance in the production of the vines so that they could adapt better to the recent surge in demand for higher quality standards, due to new wineries emerging in the nearby surroundings. Since then, quality excellence is achieved by using the most emblematic varieties in the Bierzo region, Mencía and Godello.

After a few years the family managed to draw together seven hectares of vineyards mainly with Mencía and other local varieties in three different landscapes in Valtuille de Abajo. This was done by purchasing and changing surrounding plots and estates.

In 1993 the plot on the high side of “El Toral” was planted. This plantation is in the top of the hill near to the fort called “Castro de la Ventosa” and was planted with the varieties of Mencía and Chardonnay. This is the only new plot in the property planted on the trellis.

During the next years the production became centred on the traditional viticulture, an eco-friendly style centred on a production balance, especially in the old vines which, for some decades, were worn out to satisfy the needs of a market which demanded wine sales in bulk. The family placed emphasis on cultivating the land and transforming the pruning in order to meet the increasing demand of quality grapes the wineries in the area need for the new generations of wines released into the market.

The local wineries and enologists were established as the main clientele when year after year they stocked up on the grapes from specific plots due to the varietal and terroir characteristics.

In 2013, the children of Samuel and Adela – Héctor and Víctor – decided to restore the old winery, in which the grandfather elaborated the wines many years before, where they could start winemaking their own family brands. In the same year, the plot called “La Fontiña de Nai” was elaborated as a private project. These first vintages were only for private tasting and were not released for sale.

During the next three years the refurbishment of the winery along with part of the family house was finished and then equipped with the first steel tanks and French oak barrels where the first vintages were laid down to age.

From 2016, two new hectares of old, abandoned vineyards were taken on, located in the village of Villalibre de la Jurisdicción. This aims to bring about the return of the production of Mencía and Godello, to obtain wines with different characteristics due to the 900-metre altitude from sea level, 30% tilt in a northern slope in clay and slate terroir.