VALCUERNA

One of the first things to understand about Rioja is that its greatest strength is its diversity. The region's remarkable range of microclimates, soils, elevations, exposures, grape varieties, and villages means no two places are quite alike. Every village tells a different story, making Rioja one of the world's most fascinating wine regions to explore. This diversity is reflected in the remarkable range of wine styles now being produced by growers more interested in expressing their own vineyards and microclimates than a generic Rioja identity. That diversity deserves to be celebrated and protected, and it is one of the reasons we are honored to represent one of Rioja Alta's most important grape-growing families, Bodegas Valcuerna.

Valcuerna is located in the tiny village of Cordovín (population 189) in the Alto Najerilla Valley, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra de la Demanda mountains that form Rioja's southern border. Although the dramatic vineyards of Rioja Alavesa beneath the Sierra Cantabria (Sierra del Toloño) have rightfully become internationally celebrated over the past two decades, the equally compelling story unfolding in the Sierra de la Demanda remains largely undiscovered outside the region.

Long appreciated by local growers and drinkers, Alto Najerilla is now emerging as one of Rioja's most exciting sources of elegant, high-altitude, old-vine Garnacha, led by producers like Valcuerna.

The Alto Najerilla Valley stretches beneath Monte San Lorenzo, La Rioja's highest peak in the Sierra de la Demanda at 2,271 meters, and is framed by Monte Serradero (1,495 meters). The Najerilla and Iregua rivers help define the valley, while vineyards sit at elevations approaching 700 meters, creating one of the coolest and most humid growing environments in the entire Rioja DOCa. The Alto Najerilla Valley experiences a temperate continental and Atlantic-influenced climate. Summers are typically short, warm, and dry. Winters are cool to very cold. Average annual temperatures hover around 55°F (13°C), with rainfall ranging from 15 to 24 inches depending on the site. Riverside vineyards are planted on alluvial soils, while the hillsides are dominated by ferrous clay with abundant surface stones and, in certain sites, bands of limestone and gypsum, a combination that contributes freshness, structure, and a distinctly mineral character to the wines.

These cool conditions once made full ripeness difficult to achieve, and Cordovín became famous for its traditional Clarete wines, a co-fermentation of red and white grape varieties that has long been historic to the subregion. In fact, locals would simply order a "Cordovín" when asking for a rosé Clarete in a tavern or restaurant. Valcuerna has become especially well known for its sophisticated interpretation of this tradition, producing a Clarete from a co-fermentation of Garnacha Tinta and 30% Viura sourced from the 93-year-old Tejares vineyard. Structured, refreshing, and built to age, it has become one of Rioja's most sought-after rosé wines. Today, changing climatic conditions and thoughtful viticulture have revealed another remarkable strength of the valley: an extraordinary concentration of old-vine Garnacha Tinta. Hidden among the hills are vineyards that have been preserved for generations, many more than a century old, making Alto Najerilla one of Rioja's most important historic repositories of old-vine Garnacha.