The story of Bodegas Borsao is one of 700 families united by a shared commitment to the landscape of Campo de Borja and the unique character of the region’s Garnachas. Together, they have harnessed unique resources and expertise to make award-winning wines, enjoyed and praised the world over.
The strength of shared expertise
The origins of Bodegas Borsao date back to 1958, when the Borja Cooperative was founded and the Borsao brand was created to commercialise the wines. Five decades later, the cooperatives of Pozuelo and Tabuenca joined Borja, creating a unique aggregation of resources and vineyards in the region, with the company renamed as Bodegas Borsao.
It now proudly represents hundreds of growers who are also shareholders and have an active say in how the company is managed. This has proved instrumental in reaching ever-more quality, defining ever-greater quality standards and defying the philosophy that has made the Borsao wines known and recognised worldwide.
Sustainability – Investing in the future
In 2021, Bodegas Borsao made an unparalleled investment of €16.5 M and built a new winery that sets a new standard of functionality and sustainability in the region.
The development of these new state-of-the-art facilities, due to be completed this year, had two main objectives. Firstly, increasing the quality and capacity of production; secondly, working in a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly manner. The new cellar, located in Camino del Tejar, was built using responsibly-sourced local materials, visible in the wood structure and the traditional exposed rustic tiles – both naturally resistant, with low maintenance costs and optimal thermal inertia. The building also has a reservoir for rain water (allowing 100% of the water that falls on the building to be retrieved and recycled) and an extensive, adjacent area with solar panels, which provides most of the electricity needed for lighting and operations.
Bodegas Borsao has set a clear and broad plan to reduce environmental impact in the short and long term. The most immediate goals are the reduction of CO2 emissions by 10% until September 2022 and of the use of non-organic fertilisers in the 2021/2022 growing season. But the sustainability goals go well beyond the environmental criteria and extend to social responsibility as well; among the company’s core practices are hiring locally and supporting local and regional institutions that work with vulnerable populations. Furthermore, Bodegas Borsao sponsors cultural, sport and gastronomic events, acting as an important catalyser of the region’s sense of pride and community.
Empire of Garnacha
It’s not by chance that Campo de Borja DO is considered the ‘Empire of Garnacha’. With 60% of a total 7,500 hectares under vine planted to the variety, the region is home to an incredible portfolio of old vines, which serve as a living record of the shared history of its landscape, people and viticulture. The name ‘Borsao’ itself makes reference to historiographic records showing that vines were first planted in Campo de Borja in 1145.
The vineyards of Campo de Borja produce fruit of incredible concentration and complexity of flavour, while naturally retaining nuance and vibrancy. The subtle and incredible diversity of soils and microclimates further contributes to the nuances of this viticultural heritage.
This in turn supplies the raw material that makes the main goal of Bodegas Borsao a reality: making premium Garnachas with the unique imprint of the clones indigenous to Aragón.
The best, and only way, to fully understand this work and ethos is to taste Borsao’s wines: from the vibrant Rosado Selección to the flagship Tres Picos, a limited edition old-vine Garnacha, by way of Cabriola, a mountain blend of Garnacha, Syrah and Mazuela.
You can taste all of Bodega Borsao’s range at Prowein,
May 15th to 17th – Hall 13 stand F90-8
Discover more about Bodegas Borsao
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