This month at BACO, we're heading to the heart of Rioja Alavesa to introduce you to our Winery of the Month: Luis Alegre.
A winery that combines tradition and precision, with a clear philosophy: wines with identity, born from unique vineyards and made with the utmost respect for the land.
We chatted with the Luis Alegre team to learn more about their history, their approach to wine, and what makes them unique within Rioja. Here's the full interview… and fair warning: after reading it, you'll want to try them all.
Luis Alegre is a winery with a rich history. How did the project begin and how has it evolved into what it is today?
The project was started by Luis Alegre himself in 1968. At that time, he managed to position the brand in a prestigious place within the town of Laguardia with one action standing out above all others: implementing for the first time in the area a differentiation by plots within the same estate based on the characteristics of each plot or the grape variety planted in it. Years later, the winery decided to focus on a meticulous selection of wood for our barrels. Today, we combine these two great hallmarks that represented Luis Alegre (plots and wood selection) with a more contemporary vision, which better suits our understanding of wine, the characteristics of Laguardia, and market demand.
Your wines have a very distinct identity within Rioja. What do you think sets Luis Alegre apart from other wineries in the area?
At Luis Alegre, our plots make the difference. Everything revolves around their peculiarities. We simply must interpret them in the best possible way so that they are faithfully represented in the glass.
You work with very selected, high-altitude plots. How does that influence the style of your wines?
There is one word that I believe perfectly defines the Luis Alegre wine line: "balance." We certainly associate the altitude of the plots with a marked acidity, which gives us a lot of freshness, vitality, and projection in all our wines. However, we must also refer to the low yields, the age of our vineyards, and the ability to produce and age our wines with the utmost respect and delicacy, finally having the necessary patience before commercializing them. This mix of factors is what creates the common thread for our 6 references: balance.
What wine would you recommend to someone trying Luis Alegre for the first time? And why?
Luis Alegre Crianza is, without a doubt, our wine for all palates. It's a perfect representative of Tempranillo as a grape variety, Laguardia as an origin, and this new wave of Rioja that we are already a part of. A tremendously effective wine capable of pleasing a wide diversity of consumers.
What challenges or projects do you have ahead at the winery? Where is Luis Alegre heading in the coming years?
Fortunately, we have many challenges ahead in the medium and long term. Reinterpretation of plots, their transformation towards
organic farming, inclusion of new grape varieties, new winemaking elements, future creation of new references, categorization of existing ones as "village wine," consolidation of the enotourism project… However, I believe the most important challenge is to highlight a project of the quality, identity, and exclusivity that Bodegas Luis Alegre embodies.
After getting to know Bodegas Luis Alegre better, it's clear that this winery not only produces great wines, but does so with a solid vision, looking to the future without forgetting its roots.
🍷 You can find their wines in our physical store or on our website.
🎧 And if you want to listen to the full interview in podcast format, the new episode of Momentos DiVinos is now available on Spotify.
See you at BACO, glass in hand.
