The year was 1927. Eleven childhood friends—all grown up now, and in different professions—came together to celebrate their families’ viticultural roots and their love for their village, Peñafiel. They had a dream, not just to make good quality wines, but also to highlight the importance of a forgotten wine region with an illustrious heritage. Together they would change the history of this region, introducing us to everything from rustic wines for personal consumption to a now world-renowned Spanish appellation, Ribera del Duero.
Today, more than 250 families are part of this community, bound together by the same original goal of making exceptional wines in an exceptional region. Many 3rd generation scions continue to work these lands with the same passion and commitment of their ancestors. Today, they benefit from knowledge inherited from generation to generation as well as extensive research conducted by Protos at each and every vineyard.
This community also includes 300 viticulturists, 8 agricultural engineers that care for our parcels throughout the year, and a team of 8 oenologists—led by Marilena Bonilla, one of the few women technical directors in the entire Ribera del Duero—all dedicated to the constant betterment of our wines and their reach into the homes of wine-lovers all over the world.
It is in this pioneering spirit that Protos continues to evolve, adapting our wines with the utmost respect to the land and remaining at the forefront of natural, quality wines made in Spain.
For the last 10 years, Protos has been studying each and every plot of land it owns, observing how Tempranillo clones adapt and change in each location and helping vineyards develop their potential. Our findings led us to divide and subdivide all our vineyards, helping us gain a deeper understanding of the vine and thus determine with greater accuracy the optimal time to harvest our grapes for a perfect expression of each particular terroir.
At Protos, we keep an exacting eye on all our vineyards (1.400ha!) throughout the year, monitoring ripeness levels and collecting/analyzing 200 samples a day to pinpoint the optimal moment to harvest each individual parcel.
The most famous area of Ribera del Duero is located in the Valladolid province, where the Duero River is surrounded by slopes that are predominantly northwest/southeast.
Most of our parcels have loam-clay-sandy soils, with poor organic matter. The climate here is moderate in the most oriental areas, with slighly warmer summers and less rainfall.
In the Burgos region of Ribera del Duero, is where the oldest vineyards are located, vineyards with over 50 years and even century old plots. They are very small plots in marginal areas that are not interesting for planting other crops. This and the reason that they have been in the same families for generations is the reason they have survived so long.
It is in this area that the "Finca El Grajo Viejo" (old rook vineyard) is situated. It is strategically situated at the foot of the Manvirgo hill between Anguix & Roa, with an altitude of 815 mts and south facing.
The soil is a mixture of loam-clay-sand, with poor organic matter. With also limestone and silt, and a subsoil of calcareous remains that give an accentuated minerality to the grape from this vineyard. This vineyard has a unique terroir that we have studied for many years; where the Tinto Fino grape reaches highly concentrated polyphenols and colors. Giving this wine an amazing complexity and expressiveness.
Today, Protos is all about making the most of each terroir’s characteristics, using the most natural, respectful processes available.
Our rosés & whites come from different areas and microclimates where grape selection and variety authenticity guide the expert hands of our viticulturists.
Protos reds, produced by our inspired enologists, embody on one hand, the purest, freshest character of the famous Tempranillo fruit and —thanks to perfect ageing and blending techniques— the highest expression of “Tinto Fino” complexity.
A high degree of grape sorting and selection of the finest terroirs—still worked by the best of our founder families—are the key elements of an authentic vintage signature.
