After working in the industry for 33 years, Santiago Ijalba Garcia established Bodegas Santalba in 1998, in the Rioja town of Gimileo. Obtaining his degree in oenology in 1974, Santiago was later joined by his son, Roberto, in 1997, after he’d finished studying at UC Davis in 1996.

The local Tempranillo variety is the star among reds at Bodegas Santalba, though the remaining Rioja grapes – Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo – are not without their presence. As for varieties of whites, they use the Viura and, to a lesser extent, the Rioja Malvasía, both are which are native to La Rioja.

The orography, the orientation of the plots, the composition of the ground and the climate make that the enclave where Bodegas Santalba selects its grapes is the ideal place for the development of the vine. The grapes come from both their own organic vineyards and from wine growers who are regular suppliers of the winery.