Write: Monica Uriel. Journalist
San Vicente de la Sonsierra, in Rioja Alta, is a perfect destination for Easter. Attend its famous tradition of the "Picaos" and visit one of the thirty wineries that are concentrated here, such as Carlos Moro. Founder of Matarromera, who has renewed its visits.
The ancestral penitential rite of the Disciplinantes of the Brotherhood of Santa Veracruz de San Vicente. Better known as "Picaos", it is one of the most important religious manifestations in Spain. After hitting the back for 20 minutes, to "sting" the subject, what is called a "sponge" is used. A virgin wax ball with six crystals embedded two by two, so that it receives 12 punctures.
In San Vicente de la Sonsierra. With more points on Robert Parker's list - published in Wine Advocate magazine - than inhabitants - a thousand. The Romans already made wine more than 2000 years ago. It was the Cistercian monks of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 30 kilometers from here, who took up the tradition.
The town, with its 700th century castle, can be seen from one of the Carlos Moro winery's vineyards. Las Ginebras, XNUMX meters high, at the limit of cultivation due to the altitude conditions, between the Sierra de Cantabria and the Sierra de la Demanda.
This is where Matarromera's signature wines are born
The Matarromera group, founded in 1988 and which in Castilla y León is the largest owner of vineyards in this area. One of the most expensive to make wine because they are very small farms and are widely distributed. It has 20 hectares of its own vineyards in 23 plots, and 40 hectares of controlled vineyards between Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa.
This winery, the ninth of the group -the other eight are in Castilla y León-, is Moro's most personal project. Signature wines come from here.
Built on a building from the 50s, it has 1.200 square meters of impressive underground depth. All handmade with a capacity for 2.000 barrels that can be visited on visits in addition to the vineyards. The first vintage was made here in 2015 and the first wines from this winery, CM and Oinoz, hit the market last year. In the tastings you can also taste the oil made at the Oliduero organic oil mill, belonging to the Matarromera group.
Lovers of roasts washed down with the best Rioja wines have the López de Aguileta steakhouse very close to the winery, in Labastida. As well as in Fuenmayor, the Alameda restaurant.
