History

The marketing of Torre de Oña 2007 was a turning point in the winery’s development. A new website was also launched and the company started to have an active presence on social networking sites, to be closer to a new breed of consumers.

The company started selling a second vintage of Finca San Martín, a 2008 Crianza made with Tempranillo grapes from the vineyards of the homonymous renewed.
The Torre de Oña shop was remodelled, and its image revamped.

Torre de Oña participated in an ambitious multi-year R&D&I research project in the fields of viticulture, preparation and production. A meteorological station was installed in the winery’s vineyards to give advance warning of vine plagues and diseases. Likewise, the company installed control devices in barrels and fermentation tanks to investigate, empirically measure and control the different processes that occur during fermentation and maturing.

Torre de Oña 2007 produced for the first time. The fruit of all are dedicated in both the vineyard and the winery.
As a result of testing at the Experimental Area, barrel malolactic fermentation is introduced to the winemaking process, as well as ageing in oak barrel from the Caucasus, which perfectly complements ageing in French and American oak.

As a result of the in-depth study that was carried out, and following the French model, the winery starts to make a second brand: Finca San Martín This is first marketed as a 2006 Reserva.

Wine maker Julio Sáenz takes over the technical management of the winery, and commences an in-depth study of the plots that make up the estate, their ground and the individual production and maturing of each sub-plot. In addition the winery research building comes into operation, where different tests are performed with the aim of continually improving the quality of our wines, and their continual adaptation to suit current times and tastes.
The Torre de Oña Casa-Palacio adapted for the use and enjoyment of members of Club de Cosecheros (Harvester’s Club) and their customers.

Winery is extended, relocating the labelling building to a new area. Also, under the presidency of D. Guillermo de Aranzabal Alberdi, the XVII century Ermita de Santiago, located on the estate, is refurbished and adapted as a centre for meetings or conferences.

First edition of the Torre de Oña Club de Cosecheros (Harvester’s Club) with a 1997 Reserva wine.

This harvest was not of sufficient quality to produce Barón de Oña due to the weather.

The Torre de Oña winery chosen as a location for filming the television series “Señorío de Larrea”, broadcast by Euskal Telebista, and with the participation of actors such as Carlos Sobera, Jorge Fernández and Lorena Bernal.

Start of the process of purchasing hectares adjoining the Finca San Martín. Torre de Oña currently owns 65 hectares in the area surrounding the winery.

The decision is taken to eliminate 2% of the Cabernet Sauvignon variety from the estates planted by D. Leandro Vázquez.

On the 27 January, the La Rioja Alta, S.A. winery, with its head office in Haro acquired 96.33% of the Torre de Oña, S.A. winery. The purchase included the winery, the Casa Palacio, Ermita de Páganos and 45 hectares of vineyards, the Finca San Martín. Just a few months later, the first vintage of Barón de Oña went on sale under the La Rioja Alta, S.A. name. A 1989 Reserva.

The Torre de Oña, S.A. head office was transferred from Irún (Guipúzcoa) to Páganos-Laguardia (Álava).

D. Leandro Vázquez, after experiencing the work, dedication and patience involved in caring for and maintaining a winery and making wine, took the decision to sell Torre de Oña to someone already dedicated to winemaking, someone that would continue his particular dream for the estate, without altering its philosophy or existing installations. At which point La Rioja Alta, S.A. acquired the winery.

The Basque Country pavilion at the Universal Exposition of Seville was the setting for the sale of the first vintage of Barón de Oña, the 1985 crop.

Work started on building the Casa Señorial de Torre de Oña which, together with the winery, occupied an area of 3 hectares.

On 20 June, Camino de Laguardia changed its registered name for the current name, Torre de Oña SA and maintained its head office in Irún (Guipúzcoa). Winery construction works were finished by the end of the year.

D. Leandro Vázquez, together with other local partners, founded “Camino de Laguardia, S.A.” which, with its head office in Irún, initiated the process of purchasing land and winery construction works that same year.

Don Leandro Vázquez, a businessman from Cuba with a great passion for wine, made a dream come true: the construction of his own winery in the Rioja Alavesa region. To do so he initially acquired 15 hectares of vineyards in Páganos (Álava), in the Laguardia municipality.  In 1995, the vineyards owned by D. Leandro covered an area of 45 hectares.