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History

Our history in milestones

This is not merely the history of a winery, but that of a family bound by a passion: our land and vineyards. Over the years, the different generations of our family, spurred on as they were by this passion, have faced up to increasingly greater challenges to maintain the vitality of our winery and to ensure its ongoing development, looking to the future while conscious of its deep roots in the past.

1889

The first winery

Our family saga begins with Joaquín Martínez Bujanda opening the first winery on a narrow track in Oyón.

1975

The first Viura vines in Alto Cantabria

Viura vines are planted for the first time in Alto Cantabria. This grape is used for our Conde Valdemar white, barrel fermented Viñedo Singular wine.

1982

Finca del Marquesado

Jesús (third generation), with the help of his son Jesús (fourth generation), decides to buy the first plot of what is currently our, over 180-hectare Finca del Marquesado vineyard.

1985

Conde Valdemar is created

Opening of the current facilities and the creation of the Conde Valdemar brand.

1988

First barrel fermented white wine in Spain

Our Conde Valdemar Finca Alto Cantabria is made for the first time, constituting a landmark in Spanish winery history as the first white wine exclusively fermented and made in a barrel. This first production run is for the Restaurante Akelarre.

1989

Conde Valdemar Finca Alto Cantabria

Conde Valdemar Finca Alto Cantabria is marketed both nationally and internationally.

1992

Recovering the Graciano wine grape

Graciano is planted at Seis Alhajas; one of the first wineries to promote the recovery of this variety.

1985 – 1999

Years of research and innovation

Important novelties occur in the course of this time: the first automatic system is created in Europe to control the temperature for fermenting in stainless steel vats; the bleeding-off method is recovered in the making of rosé wine; the first varietal Reserva Garnacha is made; and work begins on the plots in the vineyards.

2005

Tempranillo red becomes white

White Tempranillo is planted in Alto Cantabria. A few years later we become the first winery to market a wine made exclusively of this variety which comes from a mutation of red Tempranillo into white.

2009

The “boutique” winery

Maturana is planted in Balcón de Pilatos, a native variety that has been recovered and is unique the world over. Moreover, the “boutique” winery is opened, which consists of facilities exclusively dedicated to limited production and special wines.

2014

Fincas Valdemacuco

We make our first Ribera del Duero wines.

2000 – 2017

Recovery of native varieties

More comprehensive work is done on the plots; single vineyard wines are made and native varieties recovered; Graciano, Maturana and Tempranillo Blanco varietal wines are made.

2018

Valdemar Estates

The fifth generation, Ana and Jesús, build Valdemar Estates, the first non-American winery in Walla Walla (Washington State, USA).