Spain
Spain is often perceived as a nation producing cheap, commercial wines. For many years, Rioja was alone in flying the flag for quality classics and even here, a tendency towards over-oaking could lead to an occasional lack of subtlety. We have selected the very best of Rioja – as complex, fruit-driven and rich wines as the Tempranillo grape can provide – as well as more recently established wines such as Ribera del Duero, a range of stunning wines from Navarra and the new darling of the quality wine-drinker, Albariño.
Suppliers
Avelino Vegas, S.A.
Bodegas Fuentespina, S.L. was founded in 1994, when Avelino Vegas purchased the old co-operative of Fuentespina (Burgos) village. They completely renovated the winery with the most modern equipment and began making exhaustive selection of prime grapes and using the most modern advanced techniques of elaboration. We have became one of the most important wineries of the area in a short time, basically for elaborating excellent wines at the best prices. We blend three different styles of Ribera del Duero wines, each style being elaborated by different winemakers, the grapes being selected from different areas of Ribera del Duero and then aged in different types of oak (American, French and Caucasus) from the prestigious firm Seguin Moreau, to produce a different character in each style of wine.
Bodega Miguel Merino
Miguel Merino is a family owned winery located in Briones (Rioja Alta). Established relatively recently, in 1994, with an annual production of only around 30,000 bottles, efforts are focussed on quality rather than quantity through hand picking and selection of grapes from old vines and skilful winemaking. Bodega Miguel Merino is now one of the most prestigious in Spain, producing exquisite and highly awarded Rioja wines. The property, of some three thousand square metres, includes a stone house built in 1808, where the family home and the offices are, the cellar with capacity for 350 barrels and some 80,000 bottles, the new vinification and bottling rooms and an experimental vineyard of 1,020 square metres.
A family winery originally founded in 1918 as Bodegas Arjona but in 1983 the Navajas family become the sole stockholders, changing its name to Bodegas Navajas. The year 2000 was a turning point in the Bodega’s history when they invested in enlarging and improving the winery and cellars with a new barrel-aging area and new modern facilities equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Navaja’s family believe that the quality of the wine begins in the vineyards and for this reason they monitor and control the vineyards which belongs to their growers in Rioja Alta and Baja.
Bodegas Sobreno
Bodegas Sobreno was established in 1998 by associates with more than 20 years of experience, producing quality wines in the Rioja Alavesa. Due to the company’s policy of selecting from each annual production only those grapes suitable for ageing together with its total commitment to working exclusively with raw material from the Toro “Appelation d´Origine”, the first wines produced by this young “bodega” have led to its being baptised by international critics as the “new star of the Duero” This small “Appelation D´Origine” has consolidated its status as the standard bearer of the most promising and interesting wines of the country. The grape that gives these wines their character, Tinta de Toro is highly considered by enologists and gourmets. The winery exports to more than 16 countries, in Europe, USA, Japan and counts amongst its most prestigious customers areLufthansa and the Vatican.
Cherubino Valsangiacomo
Cherubino Valsangiacomo was founded in 1831 in Chiasso, Switzerland. The family then moved to Valencia and by 1890 owned wineries in Chiva,Utiel, Requena, Yecla and Valencia. In 1997 they moved from Valencia to Chiva. In year 2002, the winery extended its facilities in Chiva with the construction of a new plant building that incorporates the best conditions and latest technology for quality control and wine elaboration. This new plant includes a barrel aging facility for more than 2000 barrels and is completely climate-controlled. Bottle wine, bulk wine and grape juice concentrated are the principle lines of Cherubino production. They combines tradition and technology to obtain maximum quality to offer the best service.
Condes de Albarei
This group of wine growers pooled their efforts and vineyards in 1988, just a year after Rias Baixas was established as a Denominacion de Origen. Surrounded by mountains and bisected by the Umia river, these vineyards total 375 acres of Albarino, the new darling of Spanish grape varieties. All of these are estate-owned by the growers and are responsible for Albarinos of the highest quality, with an unparalleled price to quality ratio.
El Gaitero - VBF S.A
El Gaitero is the No.1 cider in all of Spain, and the most popular brand from cider makers Valle, Ballina y Fernandez S.A. Based in the apple capital of Spain, Asturias in the North, Valle, Ballina y Fernandez S.A was founded in 1890. Using traditional Spanish cider making methods, they are today turning out 70,000 bottles of cider a day, making them Spain's largest cider producer. El Gaitero is exported around the world and available across the UK.
Marques de Carrion is bottled at their own winery ‘Labastida’ the historic house at the bottom of Sonsierra Riojana. Here they cultivate old vines that produce the best grapes on small terraces. Only the finest grapes of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo are selected from their vineyards to create a very high quality wine.
Grandes Vinos Vinedos
A long-standing tradition of good wine, together with the concerted effort, geniality and savoir-faire of our people results in the creation of the largest Cariñena D.O winery, and indeed, the largest winery in the Autonomous Community of Aragón. Grandes Vinos y Viñedos was founded as a company on 1st September 1997 to channel the sales of five Cariñena D.O. co-operatives.
The name Ochoa traces its wine making origins to the 14th century and has been central to Navarra since that time. In more modern times, Sr. Javier Ochoa has gained a reputation for being one of Spain’s best winemakers and oenologists. His daughter Adriana, a sixth generation Ochoa, works closely with Javier to combine the best of the family traditions with the latest winemaking techniques. The entire production of Bodegas Ochoa comes from 143 ha of family owned vineyards. The oldest vines are located just beside the new winery in Olite.
Vinedos de Aldeanueva S. Coop.
Vinedos de Aldeanueva was established in December of 1956 when a group of agricultural growers joined together. It is located in the Aldeanueva de Ebro, with an average annual production of 18 million kilos, which maked it the biggest Rioja – producing wine cellar and therefore the most important one in Rioja Baja. Aldeanueva is situated at the foot of Mount Yerga with an extension of 2,600 hectares of wine. The Garnacha, Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano varieties are cultivated on the land and the current production is up to 14 million kgs of grapes (producing 8.7million litres of red wine, 800,000 litres of rose and 500,000 litres of white wine). In Vindeos de Aldeanueva growers are encouraged to use minimal chemical treatments and to harvest at the best time for quality rather than maximum potential alcohol. Rioja is Spain’s most important wine – and probably its most misunderstood. It’s never had the kudos of the famous French names, or the everyday appeal of the bright and breezy New World wines, but at PLB, we’ve always recognised Rioja’s true qualities. So now we’ve developed our own Rioja brand, Precioso and brought this Old World classic bang up to date.
Castillo de Betera Dry White
This crisp, fragrant and fruity dry white wine is made from two fine grape varieties Merseguera & Viura, grown on the high plateau of Alto Turia. It...
Castillo de Betera Red
This fragrant, fruity red wine is made from the native Bobal, grown in the Valencia region. Distinctive fruity notes and a liquorice background are...
Castillo de Betera Rose
The wine is bright and clear, raspberry pink in colour. Primary intense aromas on the noew where strawberry stands out with reminisence of banana in...
Los Llanos Crianza
This wine is traditionally produced in Valdepeñas from the noble grape variety Tempranillo. Aged in oak casks. A wonderful rich red colour is...
Los Llanos Reserva
This wine is produced in Valdepeñas from the noble grape variety of Tempranillo, and matured in oak casks, which is why it has the characteristic...
Miguel Merino Gran Reserva
Miguel Merino Gran Reserva is only produced in great vintage years, when the best grapes can be selected from the oldest vines. The wine was matured...
Miguel Merino Mazuelo de la Quinta Cruz
Mazuelo de la Quinta Cruz is one of the very few Mazuelo wines in Rioja, but also one of the rare single-estate brands in the region. It comes from...
Miguel Merino Reserva
Miguel Merino Reserva brings back the elegance and balance of the best Reservas from the Rioja Alta region. All the grapes are hand collected and...
Miguel Merino Unnum
There is no reason why a modern Rioja should not be a Rioja anymore. Unnum comes from three excellent vineyards: Mendigüerra (planted in 1931),...








