Producer Gorrondona

Gorrondona is a small estate in the Bakio Valley, based around an old, run-down farmhouse and vineyards that the friends behind the label have restored. They were drawn to the site by its particular position: at the apex of the Bakio Valley, it sits on a natural, north-west facing amphitheatre that allows sea breeze from the Bay of Biscay to run through the vines. A mountain to the north protects the site from the more extreme Atlantic influences.

The vines grow on decomposed slate top soil over clay and are trained in the traditional pergola style, which allows airflow through the leaf canopy. This helps to naturally prevent the mildew and fungus that plague Basque viticulture.

The pergola system and unique position have allowed Gorrondona to practice organic viticulture, a very rare thing in the region: extreme humidity makes disease a constant threat. The estate now comprises 15 hectares of vines, including one of the last parcels of the red varietal Hondarrabi Beltza in existence.