The winery is located in the city of Haro in the centre of the Spanish Rioja sub-region
Rioja Alta. It was founded in 1890 by a group of five friendly families. It was started with the support of the French oenologist Alfonso Vigier. At the beginning there were 33 large wooden barrels and 3,500 barriques from Bordeaux. Then, at the turn of the century,
phylloxera crossed the Pyrenees and destroyed most of the vines. The successful era of the winery began with the use of grafted vines and conversion to mostly bottling, as well as export overseas. In 1941, the company was converted into a public limited company, with descendants of some of the founding families still sitting on the supervisory board. In 1996 a new winery was built in a neighbouring village. The vineyards cover 450 hectares in Briones, Cenicero, Fuenmayor, Labastida and Rodezno. Grapes are also purchased. The Riojas produced here in the classic style are among the best in the region. The philosophy is based on a relatively short maceration period of only two weeks and an unusually long ageing period in barrels and in bottles. Over 50,000 barrique barrels, mainly made of American oak, are available for the ageing process.
The flagship of the house is "Gran Reserva 890", where 890 refers to the year of foundation. This lavishly vinified and long-lasting top wine is only produced in the best years. It is blended from at least 85% Tempranillo, as well as Graciano and Mazuelo. Then it matures for six to eight years in American barriques and another six years in the bottle and is thus marketed after 12 to 14 years at the earliest. The second top product is "Gran Reserva 904" (first produced in 1904). This wine, also blended from at least 85% Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo, matures at least four years in barriques and four years in the bottle. Other brands are "Viña Alberdi" (90% Tempranillo, Mazuelo), "Viña Arana Reserva" (90% Tempranillo, Graciano), "Viña Ardanza Reserva" (75% Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta). About a quarter of the production is exported. The company also owns three wineries: Aster (95 ha, Ribera del Duero), Lagar de Fornelos (76 ha, Rías Baixas) and
Torre de Oña (Rioja Alavesa).
