After working at a top Rioja estate for more than a decade, Luis Valentin and Carmen Enciso founded Valenciso—an amalgamation of their last names—in 1998. They also created what was possibly the first crowd-funded winery in Rioja: they invited friends and family to be part of this vinous project.
“The idea was to invite [them] to be a part of this dream and make it a long-term commitment,” says Diego Santana, 38, one of the winery’s partners and also its export director. The winery began with a very modest production of 10,000 bottles—all vinified in rented facilities—from four hectares of vineyards.
Today, Valenciso produces over 100,000 bottles from 24 hectares of vineyards located in the village of Ollauri, which is less than 5km away from the winery. Around 90 percent of its production fall into the higher tier Reserva range, which requires an ageing of at least 36 months in barrel and bottle before release. The winery has six wines in its portfolio.
Even among the modest-sized wineries that the region of Rioja is known for, Valenciso is considered a small producer and, of course, a young one, too. Among fans of Spanish wine, the winery is a considered a rising star; a status backed up by the numerous noteworthy mentions it has received in wine publications like Spain’s Guia Proensa and La Guia of Todo Vino.
Despite its success, the winery has not strayed far from its humble origins. It has only nine employees, all of whom lend their hand come harvest time.
Making elegant Tempranillos
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