A Journey Through Spain Featuring Conde de Valdemar & Valdemar Estates
Some wineries make wine. Others make history.
In 1889, Joaquin Martínez Bujanda began a family winemaking tradition in Oyón, a small hilltop town in northern Spain’s Rioja region. What followed is now a five-generation story of passion, pioneering winemaking, and an unwavering commitment to the land.
Valdemar produced Rioja’s first barrel-fermented white wine, pioneered the planting of Graciano in the early 1990s, and were among the first producers in the region to grow white Tempranillo – a grape that makes a remarkable appearance in our lineup. Their spirit of innovation didn’t stop in Spain: in 2019, the family founded Valdemar Estates in Walla Walla, Washington, becoming the first internationally owned winery in the region.
This evening, your Wine Cru journey takes you across the full breadth of the Valdemar family story, from the sun-drenched hillsides of Rioja to the Pacific Northwest, through six distinctive wines:
Conde Valdemar Tempranillo Blanco 2024 – A rare and pioneering white made from a mutation of the classic red Tempranillo grape, one that Valdemar was among the first in the world to cultivate and bottle.
Conde Valdemar Rioja Rosé 2024 – Vibrant and food-friendly, an elegant introduction to the lighter side of Rioja.
Conde Valdemar Rioja Crianza 2020 – Aged in American oak and crafted to be approachable upon release, this Tempranillo-based wine delivers ripe dark fruit, warm spice, and a smooth, silky finish.
Conde Valdemar Rioja Reserva 2018 – A step deeper into Rioja’s classical tradition, with greater complexity, structure, and time in both barrel and bottle.
Conde Valdemar Rioja Gran Reserva 2015 – Produced only in the finest vintages from the estate’s oldest vines, this is a wine of compelling depth, dark berries, aged balsamic, leather, and a long, lingering finish.
