Rioja

Vega Sicilia and Rothschild's Rioja

The Qualified Designation of Origin Rioja is Spain's most prestigious wine region and one of the most renowned in the world. With a history dating back to Roman times and a winemaking tradition documented since the 11th century, Rioja has combined centuries of heritage with a contemporary vision of wine. Its three sub-zones — Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental — offer a diversity of terroirs that makes wines of extraordinary complexity possible.

In 2004 one of the most ambitious projects in Spanish winemaking was born: the alliance between the Álvarez family, owners of Vega Sicilia, and Benjamin de Rothschild, heir to one of Bordeaux's great wine dynasties. Together they created Macán, a wine conceived to express the greatness of Rioja through the exacting standards and philosophy that define both houses. The collaboration combined Vega Sicilia's precision and rigour with the Rothschilds' elegance and international vision.

Macán's vineyards lie on the slopes of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, in Rioja Alta, at altitudes between 450 and 650 metres above sea level. This privileged spot, dominated by the Sierra de Cantabria to the north, enjoys a microclimate where Atlantic and Mediterranean influences meet. Clay-limestone soils, southern exposure and marked day-night temperature swings favour slow, balanced ripening of Tempranillo, which reaches exceptional depth and finesse here. The result is wines that faithfully reflect their origin: powerful yet elegant, complex and endowed with extraordinary ageing potential.