The founding of Vegalfaro was itself a statement of social sustainability: a cross-generational winery venture from father-and-son team Andrés and Rodolfo Valiente, bringing together complementary knowledge about viticulture’s past and present, and a shared vision for its future. Rodolfo is now at the helm of the project, supported by a small, close-knit team of local employees, making Vegalfaro deeply rooted in the history, community and future of DO Utiel-Requena.
Tradition meets simplicity
Vegalfaro has built its identity around landscape and tradition, interpreting them with a focus on drinkability, approachability and enjoyment. Rodolfo has developed a range of pure, uncomplicated wines, in which varieties and terroir take centre stage, unobstructed by technique. The wines reflect the same straightforwardness with which Vegalfaro’s viticulture and winemaking philosophy incorporate sustainability.
The estate’s 60 hectares of vineyards are all certified organic and managed with biodiversity and soil health in mind, integrating principles of biodynamics and regenerative agriculture – always with a pragmatic, responsive approach that prioritises the needs of the plots rather than prescriptive formulas. There’s also been proactive research on the different varieties’ suitability for distinct terroirs, with particular emphasis on the local Bobal and Garnacha grapes, while also exploring their blending potential and affinity with international varieties.
Vegalfaro’s vineyards, Utiel-Requena
Back to the future
In the cellar, Rodolfo has likewise incorporated traditional winemaking methods supported by rigorous yet simple modern practices – and a creative, rebellious spirit willing to question assumptions and stylistic categories. It is therefore unsurprising that Vegalfaro’s flagship wine (see below) is a single-variety Bobal fermented and aged in clay amphorae, a decision and investment that drinks from the source: Utiel-Requena’s well-documented, centuries-old tradition of winemaking in clay.
Below it in Vegalfaro’s collection sit a number of wines with equal amounts of character and pared-down complexity, made to be enjoyed but not forgotten.
The evolution of Vegalfaro has been one of learning with and from the land – a process that culminated in the attainment of Pago status for its Balagueses vineyard. This recognition reflects a journey of exploration and humble discovery: a learning dynamic that draws a direct, clear line from vineyard to glass, from heritage to future potential.
The same ethos inspires the sustainability framework of Vegalfaro’s management: a dynamic young team, inspired by the older generations but with eyes firmly set on the challenges and opportunities ahead – working in very much the same way as the successful local rock band in which Rodolfo used to play bass guitar.
Rodolfo Valiente in Pago de los Balagueses
Two wines that capture the sustainability approach of Vegalfaro
Rebel.lia Rosado
50% Bobal, 50% Merlot
An intense rosé that plays to the strengths of the two varieties in the blend, showcasing their complementary characters. Bobal’s crunchy red fruit and lively acid is fleshed out by Merlot’s deeper aromas and vinous texture. A rosado to enjoy with food, elegantly weighty on the mid-palate. Good persistence, with lingering red fruit and aniseed. Organic certified.
Caprasia – Bobal Anfora Biparcelario
100% Bobal
Hailing from Finca Alfaro’s oldest plots of Bobal, this flagship wine showcases the approach developed by Rodolfo Valiente since 1999. The low-yielding, bush-trained vines produce fruit with incredible concentration and vibrancy. Fermented and aged in two separate batches, hence its name: one in used French oak (first used for the winery’s oak-aged white); the second in 150-litre clay amphorae. These bring different characters of the variety and terroir to the forefront: its crunchy red fruit and freshness alongside its herbal savouriness and subtle smokiness. A characterful expression of Bobal with good ageing potential.
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