Marques de Caceres opens first winery in Ribera del Duero

Spain’s Marqués de Caceres Group has opened Bodegas Finca la Capilla in the Ribera del Duero region of Spain as part of a global strategy to strengthen its production and international distribution ahead of the group’s 50th anniversary next year.

Marques de Cacerres’ new vineyard in Ribera del Duero

The vineyard covers nearly 60ha of vines and is located between La Horra, Anguix and Roa, and is planted with the Tinta del País variety.

The vineyard is described as “extreme” by Marques de Caceres, sitting at an altitude of 800m, with “severely harsh and cold winters and very hot and dry summers”.

“The parcels of vines slowly mature to perfection with contrasting temperatures that can vary more than 20°C between day and night,” it said. “These conditions provide grapes with powerful tannins, richness in colour and an excellent polyphenolic structure.”

The vineyard will be equipped with anti-freeze windmills for protection against frost.

Soils are comprised of poor, age-old soils from the tertiary period with very low levels of organic substance.

“Their loamy-sandy texture is ideal for airing and drainage, whilst alternating layers of whitish limestone result in elegance and finesse, and sandy-clay retains nutrients to give balanced, aromatic wines that age well,” states Marques de Caceres.

Bodegas Finca La Capilla will have its own brand and team of viticultural and oenological professionals, which will operate independently based on wines of limited production aimed at specialised and selective distribution circuits.

“Our group ventured into the Rueda D.O in 2014 by purchasing 125ha of vineyards and creating a new bodega to produce fine white wines from the Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc grape varieties that have received excellent national and international recognition from wine critics,” said Christine Forner, president of Marques de Caceres.

“Today, we are delighted to announce the launching of a new project, Bodegas Finca La Capilla en Ribera del Duero. This exciting venture enables us to form part of one of Spain’s benchmark DO’s with wines that are structured, rich and elegant in style and with a brand of our own. This new aspiration confirms our group’s strategy to become one of the top references of Spain’s best Denominations of Origin.”

The project will be backed by the Forner family’s experience from their Gran Cru Classé château in Bordeaux, bodegas in Rioja and Rueda and other different markets worldwide.

The vineyard spans 60ha and sits at 800m above sea level