Our wines are the result of an artisanal work that reflects the richness of the land of La Rioja and a production philosophy that combines the latest technology and ecological viticulture.
Our origins
More than a century of family tradition
For more than a century, generations of the Mendoza family, made wine for family and friends, in a small centennial cave, located within the walls of the Castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra.
The distillery of the seventeenth century
The original idea of Eloy Antonio was to continue making the wine in the cave of the castle, but due to the small size and inaccessibility of it, in 1994 he decided to restore an old distillery of the seventeenth century and prepare it as a winery. Thus starts the career of Bodegas Castillo de Mendoza.
a new stage
The new winery
The remarkable growth of the winery’s activity means that in 2001 Castillo de Mendoza moved its facilities to a new construction in which a draft excavated in living rock in the traditional style of Rioja coexists with current technology..
the vineyards
The winery has 35 hectares of own vineyards located in different plots of the municipal territory of San Vicente de la Sonsierra.
Organic agriculture
We are one of the pioneering wineries in Organic Agriculture in La Rioja. In the year 2000 we planted our first ecological vineyard in Alto de Mindiarte. A set of vineyards isolated and surrounded by a natural wooded environment full of fauna and flora.
Our first organic wine
In 2004, Noralba was born, our flagship organic wine. Whose name is a tribute to the family, since it is the result of the fusion of the names: Nora and Alba, first-born granddaughters of the owners: Eloy Antonio and his wife Sabina.
International projection
In the last ten years the winery has experienced a remarkable growth in the foreign market, our wines are currently present in many countries in Europe, Asia and America.
The reward for our daily effort
In recent years our wines have been highly valued in the most prestigious national and international competitions. This means for us a recognition of our daily trajectory and effort.
Winemaking
Seleccionamos las mejores uvas para nuestros vinos, tanto en el viñedo realizando una vendimia manual, como en bodega, donde se realiza la selección manual fruto a fruto. Elegimos meticulosamente los robles empleados tanto en la crianza, como en la fermentación maloláctica, para que resalten el carácter singular de nuestros vinos. Y finalmente, los dejamos reposar en nuestro botellero, hasta que alcanzan su máximo potencial y están listos para deleitar a nuestros clientes más exigentes
The vintage
We harvest our grapes manually in 100% of our vineyards, and it is also carried out by the same workers for more than 10 years. We trust them because they know perfectly our quality guidelines, and therefore they know what grapes they should cut, thus making a first selection on the vineyard.
We also make a preliminary selection of the plots, to determine which grapes will be used in each of our wines.
In the case of the Castillo de Mendoza Author, the best grapes from the best vineyards are selected, this implies that to make some 7000 bottles, our best vineyards are covered with small boxes, selecting and cutting only the grapes of extraordinary quality, that is, only the best of best.
Manual selection
Once our grapes arrive at the winery, we carry out a manual selection process on a sorting table with a team of 4 or 5 people; fruit to fruit are inspected exhaustively, letting go to the next phase only those grapes that meet the quality guidelines required for each of our wines.
In addition, at our Castle of Mendoza Evento, we go further, and we make a second selection, choosing from each cluster, the best berries.
Malolactic fermentation in new barrels
For our Top wines: Noralba Crianza, Castillo de Mendoza Author, Castillo de Mendoza Reserva and Evento Reserva Especial, the malolactic fermentation takes place in new French and American oak barrels.
The objective is to achieve a substantial improvement of the organoleptic characteristics, through the micro-oxygenation of the pores of the wood. What gives our wines greater structure and subtleness in the mouth, reducing the sensation of roughness and aggressiveness of the tannins, helping them to preserve the aromas and flavor for a longer time as well as favoring the stability and longevity of the colour.
Aging
The aging of Rioja wines requires rest, calm, light and controlled temperatures. That is why our wines rest on a wide draft of 1,600 m2 excavated in living rock, equipped with an automatic ventilation system and controlled temperature and humidity levels at all times. Thanks to its width, the barrels are extended to a single height which favors an individualized control of analysis, tasting and evolution of the wines.
We care for and pamper our wines, so that they evolve at their own pace, so the aging process ends when they have reached the characteristics that make them so unique.
The barrels in which our wines are grown are meticulously selected, choosing those oaks that by their origin and toasting process, will help to highlight the unique character of our wines
Binding in bottle
Our wines, after aging in barrels, sleep in our wine rack for several months or even years, sheltered from the darkness and at a controlled temperature and humidity. Thousands of bottles at rest assemble their different aromatic and structural components, polishing and resulting in wines that are refined and ready for the palate.
sustainability
Castillo de Mendoza bases its philosophy on pillars of respect for the environment. Our commitment to sustainability has led us to dress our wines with recycled materials and / or with minimal environmental impact, helping to reduce our carbon footprint.
Low CO2 emission capsules
Made with biologically based polyethylene, which comes from sugar cane, and water-based inks. What eliminates the use of solvents and other chemical materials harmful to the environment, and reduces CO2 emissions by 80% in its manufacture.
PEFC & FSC Labels
Manufactured with different materials, water-based inks and natural varnishes, all of them respectful with the environment. Among other materials, Organic Cotton and Mineral Paper are used from sustainably managed forests and reliable sources.
Sustainable boxes and bottles
Boxes made of recycled cardboard and tinted with water-based inks and ecological varnishes. We choose our bottles with the lowest possible weight, thus reducing our carbon footprint and that of our supplier, which, by using less glass per bottle, considerably reduces their CO2 emissions.
Natural corks
We use natural corks. We have removed from them the bleaching chemical treatment, which is purely aesthetic, therefore they show their natural brown color.
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