MC Valdelana Rioja SAT Oct 17th at 14:30

Master Class (ENG) - Bodegas Valdelana - Discover Rioja’s “Grand Crus”: Viñedos Singulares

Master Class SAT Oct 17th at 14:30 - 15:20

Speaker: Judith Valdelana, Commercial Director, Bodegas Valdelana

This lecture will be held in English.

In this Master Class, you will delve deeper into the world of Rioja red wines under the guidance of Judit Valdelana—a 14th-generation member of the Valdelana family—and, above all, taste two of Rioja’s "Grand Cru" equivalent wines: *Viñedos Singulares* (wines from specific, classified vineyard plots).

The session begins with the Familia Valdelana Crianza, a classification familiar to many. This wine serves as a benchmark before moving on to taste the estate’s rare gems; notably, Bodegas Valdelana owns the largest number of old vineyards registered as *Viñedos Singulares* in the entire Rioja region. The history of most of these vineyards dates back to the late 19th century. While "Juan Valdelana" is a blend of grapes from several vineyards, "Senda de las Damas" and "La Medika" are single-plot wines sourced from the specific vineyards bearing those names.

Bodegas Valdelana is a family estate with a long history located in Elciego, in the Rioja Alavesa sub-region. The Valdelana family’s winemaking heritage stretches back to 1583, and today, three generations work at the estate. They cultivate approximately 100 hectares of vineyards, primarily on the clay-limestone soils characteristic of Rioja Alavesa. Tempranillo is the primary grape variety, grown alongside others such as Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, and Viura.
A particularly compelling aspect of Valdelana’s production is their *Viñedos Singulares* range—wines crafted from specific, officially approved, top-tier vineyard plots. Valdelana boasts no fewer than 11 vineyards classified as *Viñedo Singular*, making it one of Rioja’s most significant producers in this category. Many of these plots were planted as early as the 1920s; notable examples include La Medika, Senda de la Traición, Senda de las Damas, La Pared de los Curas, Tronco Negro, and Santa Cruz de Valdelana. The first of these single-vineyard wines to be bottled individually were from the 2020 vintage.

*Viñedo Singular* is an appellation classification introduced by Rioja in 2017, shifting the focus from aging periods to the specific vineyard site itself. Requirements include the vines being at least 35 years old and the harvest being performed by hand, with permitted yields lower than those for standard Rioja wines. Valdelana’s single-vineyard wines are produced in very limited quantities, aiming to showcase the unique soil, microclimate, and character of the old vines specific to each site. La Medika, for instance, is a Garnacha plot planted in 1920; it yields a single-vineyard wine produced via spontaneous fermentation and carbonic maceration.

Wines to be tasted:
Familia Valdelana Crianza 2023
Juan Valdelana Tinto 2024
Senda de las Damas 2021
La Medika 2021

Please note that the Master Class ticket does not include general admission to the event. Remember to purchase an event entry ticket alongside your Master Class ticket.