Packing Ribera del Duero red wine at Bodegas Balbás winery in Spain
It’s an important moment for Bodegas Balbás, one of Spain’s oldest wineries, situated in La Horra or the ‘Golden Diamond’, in Spain’s prestigious Ribera del Duero region. Now sisters Patricia and María Balbás are taking over the reins from their parents, Juan José Balbás and Clara de la Fuente, becoming the seventh generation of their family to run the historic winery.
Continuity between successive generations is key to the winery’s approach, dating as far back as 1777, when Juan José’s great-great-grandfather, Abundio Balbás, first began producing wine from his own vineyards.
Juan José Balbás and Clara de la Fuente are handing over control of the winery to their daughters Patricia and María Balbás, who are becoming the seventh generation of their family to run the historic winery.
A story of many generations
Patricia and María have big shoes to fill – their father was one of the founders of Ribera del Duero’s Designation of Origin back in 1982. There’s also pressure to embrace the winemaking possibilities that the region offers – the highly regarded ‘Golden Diamond’ within the DO has been recognised as a key area for viticultural potential in Spain.
One thing that won’t change though is the family’s focus on using only its own grapes. Bodegas Balbás owns all its
