Bodegas Bretón

Bodegas Bretón was established in 1985 by Pedro Bretón and financial backers from Logroño. The original Bretón bodega was in the city of Logroño; in 2001 the company created a purpose-built new bodega in Navarrete, which included a space for maturing the flagship Alba de Bretón wines. The economic downturn started to bite in 2008, and by September 2012 the bodega was up for sale after a difficult few years' trading. In 2014 the facilities of Bodegas Bretón were acquired and became the headquarters of Finca Nueva. Finca Nueva's listed address is Carretera Fuenmayor, km 1.5, 26370 Navarrete, La Rioja.

• 1985: established by Pedro Bretón and financial backers from Logroño; the original bodega was in the city of Logroño.
• 2001: purpose-built new bodega in Navarrete.
• 2012: up for sale after a difficult few years' trading, following the economic downturn that started to bite in 2008.
• 2014: the Bretón facilities were acquired and became the headquarters of Finca Nueva.

Pedro Bretón founded the bodega in 1985 with financial backers from Logroño. Miguel Ángel de Gregorio was the winemaker from the foundation until 1995, when he left to establish his own bodega, Finca Allende. Finca Nueva, which started in 2004 as a project of Miguel Ángel de Gregorio, made the Bretón facilities its headquarters after their acquisition in 2014.

• Founder: Pedro Bretón (1985), with financial backers from Logroño.
• Winemaker 1985 to 1995: Miguel Ángel de Gregorio, who left to establish Finca Allende.
• Finca Nueva, the project Miguel Ángel de Gregorio started in 2004, made the Bretón facilities its headquarters after their acquisition in 2014.

By 2004 the company owned or controlled more than 250 hectares of vineyards, including the tiny Pagos del Camino vineyard of 1.3 hectares, planted with 80-year-old Garnacha vines. Loriñón was the mainstream brand; the premium wines were Dominio de Conte, Alba de Bretón and Pagos del Camino. Dominio de Conte was made from vineyards the bodega controlled. Alba de Bretón Reserva 1996 was made from grapes harvested from 80-year-old Tempranillo vines in the village of Briones, and spent 24 months in a mixture of new American (Virginian) and Alliers oak, then a final two months in Virginian oak.

• More than 250 hectares owned or controlled by 2004.
• Pagos del Camino: a 1.3-hectare vineyard with 80-year-old Garnacha vines.
• Loriñón: the mainstream brand. Premium wines: Dominio de Conte, Alba de Bretón and Pagos del Camino.
• Alba de Bretón Reserva 1996: 80-year-old Tempranillo vines in Briones; 24 months in new American (Virginian) and Alliers oak, then two months in Virginian oak.

Writing in Decanter in 1998, Anthony Rose counted Bodegas Bretón, with Artadi and Palacio, among the first Rioja bodegas to recognise the importance of colour and extraction. In the 1990 entry of a 2020 Decanter guide to the 1990s Rioja vintages, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW wrote that, six years earlier, he had very much appreciated Dominio de Conte from Bodegas Bretón.

• Counted by Anthony Rose (Decanter, 1998) among the first Rioja bodegas, with Artadi and Palacio, to recognise the importance of colour and extraction.
• Dominio de Conte: singled out by Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW in the 1990 entry of Decanter's 2020 guide to the 1990s Rioja vintages.

Official source: Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja winery listing for Finca Nueva, https://riojawine.com/en-us/bodegas-rioja/finca-nueva/. Secondary sources: Decanter, https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/bodegas-bret-n-for-sale-25033/ (John Radford, published 26 September 2012), https://www.decanter.com/magazine/a-giant-awakes-249944/ (Anthony Rose, 1998), https://www.decanter.com/premium/rioja-1990s-a-vintage-guide-445201/ (Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, 29 November 2020), https://www.decanter.com/magazine/spanish-wine-armada-rioja-249754/ (John Radford, 2000). Last verified 2026-10-14.