THE COMPANY

Viñas del Vero owes its name to a river of the Somontano district, at the foot of the Pyrenees, famed for its gullies, canyons and ravines. The company Viñas del Vero, S.A. was set up in Somontano at the end of 1986 following the acquisition of 550 hectares of land in Barbastro and other nearby villages. In 1987 work began to replant the land with vines of the traditional regional varieties (Tempranillo, Moristel, Garnacha and Macabeo), along with those from other sources (Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir).

The winery's first wines reached the market in the Spring of 1990, and were produced in an experimental winery in Salas Bajas. In 1987 the company had acquired the "San Marcos" estate as the site for the new winery, which opened in July 1993. It is the centre for the entire process of producing the Viñas del Vero wines, from selection of the grape harvest to ageing and bottling. The winery has a capacity of 70,000 hectolitres, with 250 stainless steel tanks and 8,000 French and American oak barrels.

Viñas de Vero is now the leading winery of the Somontano region in terms of the volume and quality of its output. The company owns 1,160 hectares of vineyards, and produces 6.5 million bottles per year. Its wines can be found in more than 40 countries worldwide.

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This young winery is equipped with the very latest viticultural technology, respecting the natural winemaking process while guaranteeing precise monitoring of environmental and hygiene conditions. Viñas del Vero was one of Spain's first wine producers to obtain the Quality Certificate based on the international UNE-EN-ISO 9002 standard.

Its most striking characteristic is its vertical layout, with a drop of more than 12 metres. Once harvested, the grapes arrive at the top level of the winery, where they are selected. From there, the force of gravity, careful and constant monitoring of the process, and, let us not forget, the drop of "magic" which goes into the creation of every great wine, are our chief allies. Viñas del Vero does not use pumps or other harsh mechanical processes in the rackling of the grapes and must.

Viñas del Vero pays attention to every last detail of production. Its condition of young winery has allowed to put in place the basis required in order to ensure the final product is of the highest level of quality: the well-tended vineyards, the maturation of the fruit, the optimisation of the harvest, the selection of barrels for ageing, the design of the labels, the presentation of the wines on the market, along with constant care for customers and consumers.

The winemakers of the company combines their wide-ranging knowledge and experience with dedication and attention to every process involved in wine production. This concern for every detail involved in the business is one of the winery's hallmarks.

Processes are always adapted to the specific characteristics of each variety. The results can be seen in striking, distinctive wines with a contemporary taste, in accordance with the trends of modern consumer demand.

Corporate recognition: Spanish Food Award, Royal Wedding, Iberia - RENFE, "Wine Oscars" and 20th Anniversary

It would be fair to describe these six items as the most significant milestones in the short but successful history of Viñas del Vero, marking as they do the acknowledgement of the quality and status of both the wines and the company, from a social and business perspective, quite apart from the recognition referred to earlier in the winemaking field itself:

• December 1999. The Ministry of Agriculture issues Viñas del Vero with its Spanish Food Award, the first time that this highly prized honour has been bestowed on a winery, "for its efforts in innovation and the production of wines of great quality".


• July 2000. The official opening of Blecua, the Viñas del Vero’s boutique winery, which draws on the produce of the seven finest vineyards in Somontano to produce a unique, limited-edition wine, which soon finds itself on the "honour board" of Spain's great wines.


• April 2002. The Royal Family chooses Viñas del Vero Clarión for the gala dinner to mark the engagement of the Prince and Princess of Asturias, served up by Ferran Adrià and Juan Mari Arzak at El Pardo for the most distinguished of guests. The event is worldwide news, and serves as clear recognition of the quality of the wines of such a young producer.

• June 2004. Viñas del Vero supplies Iberia with the following wines: VdV Chardonnay and VdV Merlot Colección for Business Class; and VdV Macabeo-Chardonnay and VdV Merlot-Cabernet for Tourist Class. The supply contract remains in place, meaning that Pope Benedict XVI sampled the VdV Chardonnay on his trip to Spain in July, 2007. In December 2004, VdV Crianza is also chosen to be served on the high-speed AVE trains and InterCity routes of Spanish rail operator RENFE. Viñas del Vero has also, since 1995, been supplying wines to other airlines, including Lufthansa and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS); and recently signed a contract to supply the company Transavia, a subsidiary of Dutch carrier KLM.


• September 2005. Secastilla is awarded a Trophy Award at the IWC (International Wine Challenge). It is the so-called "Wine Oscars", being one of 4 Spanish wines to be honoured.


• June 2006. Viñas del Vero celebrates the 20th Anniversary of its founding, maintaining its position as Somontano's leading winery, and one of the most important in Spain.


• January 2008. Viñas del Vero Chardonnay is chosen by the Royal Family to be served at the gala dinner held to mark the 70th birthday of the King of Spain, HRH Juan Carlos I. The dinner is held at the Palacio del Pardo, and prepared by the renowned restaurant Zalacain.