Bodegas Señorío de Líbano

BODEGAS Señorío de Líbano, ROOTS AND ORIGIN

Some names seem to carry their essence in their very sound. The name Sajazarra evokes resonances of firmness and robustness, the same vigor that the centuries-old stones of its castle still proudly display, the majesty exhibited by its towers, battlements, and arrow slits. Sajazarra brings echoes of power, the kind that its walled enclosure experienced during the many bloody skirmishes between medieval kingdoms that its battlements witnessed.

And around Sajazarra, there are also names filled with history and stories. The Count of Nieva, Lord of the original fortress erected in the 13th century and ancestor of Don Diego López de Zúñiga y de Velasco, Viceroy of Peru. Or Don Pedro Fernández de Velasco, owner of the stronghold in the 15th century, whom Henry IV named Constable of Castile. Or the more humble Juan Martínez, a devout man from Arnedo whose Virgin of Vico miraculously freed him from the castle’s dungeons to fulfill his fervent desire to attend Saturday mass.

In our times, the name Sajazarra is linked to the Líbano family, who acquired the bastion, severely damaged by time, and began restoring it with care and enthusiasm. Then the castle revealed its best-kept secret to them: wine-making presses and a press. Perhaps a gesture of gratitude, perhaps a sign.

From that precise moment, an exciting project began: lands were acquired on the slopes of the Obarenes Mountains, an ideal location for its clay-limestone soil sheltered from the winds; vineyards were cultivated, mainly Tempranillo; the harvest took place in late October, as in this extreme area of Rioja Alta; and the first harvest was strictly handcrafted. Finally, in 1973, the first wine was produced. After confirming its excellent quality, comparable to the best wines in the area, commercialization began, the number of barrels increased, facilities were adapted, and the winery was eventually moved to newly constructed buildings located in the castle gardens, carefully designed to respect the aesthetic harmony of the surroundings.

This is how Señorío de Líbano and one of its brands, Castillo de Sajazarra, a wine stamped with its roots and origin, were born.