Bodega Cooperativa de La Seca was founded in 1935, at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War, as winegrowing families from the small town of La Seca, in northwest Spain, sought stability amidst political uncertainty. It has since been renamed Bodega Cuatro Rayas, playing a key role in the economic and social cohesion of the DO Rueda throughout a turbulent century.
The winery remains one of the DO’s most important stakeholders, managing a total of 2,400ha from 300 members. Bodega Cuatro Rayas counts some of the region’s oldest vineyards – including ungrafted 120-year-old plots – among its members’ holdings. Its viticultural and winemaking programme, focused on the local Verdejo grape, yields a diverse range of wines. From approachable everyday drinkers to exclusive single-vineyard bottlings, Bodega Cuatro Rayas’ bottlings express the character of Rueda’s terroirs and the passion of those who work its land.
Elena Martin Oyagüe, winemaker and technical director at Bodega Cuatro Rayas
Knowledge and precision
Elena Martin Oyagüe, who joined Bodega Cuatro Rayas in 1997 and has been its technical director since 2017, highlights the increasing importance of vineyard and grape selection as the basis of a greater focus on quality across the winery’s range. ‘We are placing more and more emphasis on the classification and categorisation of vineyards and grapes,’ she explains. ‘This will allow us to better understand the nature and potential of each plot and develop wines
