Bodegas Aalto

Aalto represents a defining moment in modern Spanish winemaking. Founded in February 1999 by Mariano García, one of Spain's most respected winemakers following 30 years as technical director at Vega Sicilia (from 1968 to 1998), and Javier Zaccagnini, former president of the Ribera del Duero Consejo Regulador, the project was built on a clear mission: to create a wine of distinct personality and exceptional quality by reflecting the diversity of multiple village terroirs, blending them at the end of the aging process. From its inception until 2004, the winery operated in rented facilities in Roa, Burgos. In 2006, the Masaveu family (also owners of Murúa in Rioja, Fillaboa in Rías Baixas, Pagos de Araiz in Navarra) and the Nozaleda family (Enate in Somontano) joined as investors, providing financial stability that allowed the project to reach its full potential. Javier Zaccagnini departed in 2018 to pursue his own winemaking project, and passed away in 2023. Today, Mariano García continues as technical director with a hands-on approach, visiting the winery weekly, while resident technical director Antonio Moral leads the day-to-day cellar operations.

• Founded February 1999 by Mariano García (30 years at Vega Sicilia as technical director, 1968-1998) and Javier Zaccagnini (former Ribera del Duero DO president); initial vintages produced in rented facilities in Roa, Burgos
• Masaveu family (also owns Murúa in Rioja, Fillaboa in Rías Baixas, Pagos de Araiz in Navarra) and Nozaleda family (Enate in Somontano) joined as investors in 2006, consolidating the project's long-term stability
• Zaccagnini departed in 2018 to pursue his own winemaking project and passed away in 2023; Antonio Moral heads the resident technical team with García overseeing strategy and quality on a weekly basis
• García family wider portfolio includes Bodegas Mauro (Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León, Tudela de Duero), San Román (DO Toro), and Garmón Continental (Ribera del Duero), with sons Eduardo and Alberto increasingly leading day-to-day operations at those estates

Having outgrown rented facilities in Roa after the 2004 harvest, Aalto built a purpose-designed winery on a 15-hectare plot in the municipality of Quintanilla de Arriba, Valladolid. The first phase was completed in 2005, in time for the 2005 harvest to be processed on-site. The architecture integrates naturally into the typical Ribera del Duero plateau landscape, with a linear and harmonious design emphasizing functionality over ostentation. The second phase, comprising the visitor-facing and social areas, was completed in 2016. The address is Paraje Vallejo de Carril, Quintanilla de Arriba, Valladolid, 47360. The facility was designed to allow wines to be racked by gravity into the underground barrel cellar, minimizing the need for pumping and preserving the integrity of the finished wine. The architecture rejects the ostentation of some Ribera del Duero modern wineries in favor of a quiet functional discipline that reflects García's winemaking philosophy.

• Purpose-built winery on 15-hectare plot in Quintanilla de Arriba, Valladolid; Phase 1 completed 2005 (production), Phase 2 completed 2016 (visitor and social facilities)
• Architecture integrated into the Ribera del Duero plateau landscape; linear, minimal design without ostentation reflecting García's quiet functional discipline
• Gravity-flow racking allows wines to move from fermentation vessels to underground barrel cellar without pumping, preserving aromatics and fruit integrity
• Address: Paraje Vallejo de Carril, Quintanilla de Arriba, Valladolid, 47360; opened to visitors and social events after the 2016 Phase 2 completion

Aalto's 130 hectares represent one of the most carefully assembled vineyard portfolios in Spain. Rather than relying on a single prestigious estate, García and his team source from over 200 individual plots spread across nine municipalities in Ribera del Duero's Burgos and Valladolid provinces. La Horra forms the core of the blend, with varying contributions from Quintanilla, Piñel, La Aguilera, Moradillo, Fresnillo, Baños de Valdearados, and others. The old vine material, ranging from 40 to 100 years, is supplemented by 20 hectares of younger vines propagated from massale selections of the best old-vine stock. Soils vary significantly across villages: clay-limestone in Quintanilla de Arriba and La Aguilera, sandy soils in Fresnillo and Valbuena de Duero, stony fluvial and glacial soils in Moradillo, and clay loam with sedimentary gravel in the La Horra area. Altitude differences across the nine municipalities mean each vineyard reaches optimum ripeness at a different time, necessitating individual plot harvesting throughout the season.

• 130 hectares across 200+ plots in nine municipalities; La Horra is the core village, with Quintanilla, Piñel, La Aguilera, Moradillo, Fresnillo, and Baños contributing according to vintage conditions
• Vines 40 to 100 years old (old vine blocks) plus 20 hectares of massale-propagated younger vines; Tinto Fino only, with no chemical fertilizers or herbicides used across the vineyard portfolio
• Highly diverse soils including clay-limestone (Quintanilla de Arriba, La Aguilera), sandy free-draining (Fresnillo, Valbuena de Duero), stony glacial-fluvial (Moradillo), and clay loam with sedimentary gravel (La Horra area)
• Altitude variation across the nine municipalities triggers staggered harvest dates and individual plot picking, with each vineyard reaching optimum ripeness at a different time throughout the season

García's winemaking philosophy centers on minimum intervention and maximum terroir expression. Hand-harvested grapes arrive at the winery in small 15-kilogram crates and are inspected bunch by bunch on a sorting table. After destemming, grapes are fermented by individual plot in stainless steel, concrete, or oak vats custom-designed for the winery, using gentle pump-overs to extract fruit without harsh tannins. Once fermentation is complete, wines are racked by gravity into French and American oak barrels in the underground cellar, where malolactic fermentation and aging continue. The flagship Aalto spends an average of 18 to 20 months in barrel, with 85 percent French and 15 percent American oak and approximately 50 percent new barrels. Aalto PS is aged for 21 months in 100 percent new French oak. Final blend decisions for both wines are made by vineyard site rather than by individual barrel selection, reflecting García's terroir-first philosophy.

• Hand-harvested in 15kg crates, bunch-by-bunch sorted; fermented by individual plot in stainless steel, concrete, or custom oak vats with gentle pump-overs
• Wines racked by gravity to underground barrel cellar; Aalto aged 18 to 20 months in 85% French and 15% American oak, approximately 50% new
• Aalto PS aged 21 months in 100% new French oak; final blends decided by vineyard site, not barrel selection, reflecting García's terroir-first philosophy
• Aalto Blanco de Parcela: Verdejo-dominant (with Godello and Albillo) from single plot Fuente de las Hontanillas in Quintanilla de Arriba, 850m+, limestone soils; 10 months in 500L French oak barrels; VT Castilla y León

Aalto produces three wines. The flagship red, simply called Aalto, is made from 100 percent Tinto Fino sourced from vines 40 to 80 years old across the nine municipalities, with approximately 300,000 bottles produced annually. It is designed to be approachable on release while rewarding cellaring. Aalto PS (Pagos Seleccionados) is the prestige cuvée, produced only in the best vintages at approximately 40,000 bottles, sourced from very old vines (60 to 90 years) in La Horra and La Aguilera, with Piñel de Abajo added from the 2014 vintage. It is released in roughly 7 to 8 vintages per decade. The third wine, Aalto Blanco de Parcela, is a newer addition: a Verdejo-dominant white from the single estate Fuente de las Hontanillas in Quintanilla de Arriba, planted at over 850 meters on predominantly limestone soils, with minor additions of Godello and Albillo, fermented and aged for 10 months in 500-liter French oak barrels, and bottled under the VT Castilla y León designation. The 2012 vintage Aalto earned the No. 6 position in Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2015, scoring 94 points. Aalto demonstrated that a winery without centuries of history could earn immediate respect through disciplined viticulture and transparent winemaking, reshaping perceptions of what modern Ribera del Duero could achieve.

• Aalto (approximately 300,000 bottles): 100% Tinto Fino, vines 40 to 80 years, nine municipalities, 18 to 20 months in barrel (50% new, 85% French / 15% American oak)
• Aalto PS (approximately 40,000 bottles): 100% Tinto Fino, vines 60 to 90 years, La Horra, La Aguilera (and Piñel de Abajo since 2014); 21 months in 100% new French oak; released in 7 to 8 vintages per decade
• Aalto Blanco de Parcela: Verdejo-dominant (with Godello and Albillo) from single plot Fuente de las Hontanillas, 850m+, limestone soils; 10 months in 500L French oak barrels; VT Castilla y León
• Aalto 2012 ranked No. 6 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2015, 94 points; Aalto PS consistently earns 93 to 95-point scores from major critics; US retail pricing approximately $60 to $80 for Aalto and $140 to $160 for Aalto PS