The forging of the Myth: In 1864, Eloy Lecanda founded the winery that symbolises the golden legend of Spanish red wine. Throughout its long history, it has belonged to different owners, although it has always maintained an unquestionable personality, making concentrated, mature, generous and extremely elegant.

Discover how a unique myth in European wine culture is forged.

1848. Acquisition of land: The history of this estate began in 1848, when Toribio Lecanda, a landowner of Basque origin, bought a 2,000 hectare estate used for agriculture and cattle farming from the Marquis of Valbuena.

1864. Vega Sicilia founded: Eloy, son of Toribio Lecanda, founder of the Vega Sicilia winery in 1864, bought 18,000 shoots of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot and pinot noir in Bordeaux, to be used in the making of brandy and ratafias.

In 1876, in the Philadelphia Fair, Lecanda obtained a quality certificate for his brandies. That same year, he succeeded in achieving the position as supplier to the Royal Family, and in 1880, he obtained the Grand Cross of Isabel the Catholic; all before the birth of the red wine that was to make the company famous.

1904. The incorporation of Domingo Garramiola: With the estate having been acquired by the Herrero family, it is rented to Cosme Palacio, who creates the winery of Domingo Garramiola, a person who is crucial to the history of Vega Sicilia.

Domingo Garramiola Txomin was born in Marquina-Echevarría on 1st October 1878. In Vega Sicilia, Domingo used Bordeaux techniques for making wine. He renewed the aging casks and, above all, made great efforts in cleaning the wine presses.

1915. The birth of two exceptional wines: The hard work of Txomin Garramiola gave fruit in 1915, with the birth of two exceptional wines: Vega Sicilia and Valbuena. These wines followed along the lines of the Rioja wines of the day: lengthy aging in vats and wooden casks and bottled to order.

The distribution of these first bottles began among the upper class bourgeoisie and the aristocracy, but not for commercial purposes. The owners of the winery offered this wine as a gift to the good friends of the family. Thus began the forging of the legend of Spain´s most exclusive wine, as it cannot be bought with money, but only with friendship.

1929. Prize at the World Fair: The wines of Vega Sicilia reached great public recognition thanks to prizes such as that of the World Fair in Barcelona in 1929, awarded to the 1917 and 1918 harvests.

1933. The Death of Domingo Garramiola: Surrounded by his family in his house in Vega Sicilia, Domingo Garramiola died in 1933. The winemaker left a very personal stamp on the best classic Spanish wine. The responsibility of continuing with his work fell on his closest collaborator, Martiniano Renedo.

1956- The arrival of Jesús Anadón to Vega Sicilia: Jesús Anadón joined the wineries in 1956. He was to be director of the company for several decades and his incorporation was transcendental to Vega Sicilia and he started up the Ribera del Duero Designation of Origin.

1982. The Álvarez family acquired Bodegas Vega Sicilia: The current stage began in 1982, when David Álvarez acquired the winery and the vineyards from the Venezuelan businessman Miguel Neumann. Since that year, the Álvarez Mezquíriz family has developed a policy of harmonisation of present innovative techniques required by the wine sector with the traditional winemaking process. The vineyard area has been extended and a modernisation process has taken place both in and out of the winery.

1985. The retirement of Jesús Anadón: The retirement of Jesús Anadón meant the leaving of a man who assumed his responsibilities as director and oenologist of Vega Sicilia in a highly personal way. On his departure, Pablo Álvarez took full possession of the general management of the winery; the oenology area was taken on by Mariano García, who had been Jesús Anadón´s assistant since joining the company in 1968.

1998. Consolidation of a team of expert oenologists: 1998 saw the incorporation of Xavier Ausás into the technical management of the winery group after working for six years as oenologist in Vega Sicilia. Xavier, together with his sister Mercedes, and Begoña Jovellar, is the father, master and educator of the company´s wines.

1993. The Álvarez family arrives in Hungary: In 1993, Vega Sicilia founds Tokaj Oremus. The personality of the Álvarez family adds to the historic tradition of both wines. Pablo Álvarez, managing director of Vega Sicilia, is also responsible for this new project. The wine is studied in great detail and with great respect, together with its significance, its laborious winemaking process, historical practices... An experienced team of professionals with good knowledge of the region´s wines is also sought.

From the moment the vineyards were founded to present day, the Álvarez family, respecting the Tokaj
traditions, has made considerable investment in Tokaj Oremus with a view to increasing the technical level of the treatment of the grape and the winemaking installations, so as to make the best wines possible. The objective of the Álvarez family is to give its former grandeur to this vineyard, which is one of the best situated, the most emblematic and significant of Tokaj.

1992. Creation of Bodegas Alión: Investigations led to the doors of Bodegas Liceo, a company founded in 1990 and located in Peñafiel (Valladolid). The winery had just begun and had all the technological requirements required. After lengthy discussion, the family acquired the winery on 5th November 1992.

Alión was born; a name laden with emotion as it corresponds to the town of León in which the family patriarch, David Álvarez, was born.

2000. Primum Familiae Vini and Vega Sicilia: Primum Familiae Vini, and organisation formed by the twelve family-run wineries of the highest international prestige, which includes Vega Sicilia, held its annual reunion on the state, presided by Pablo Álvarez.

The year 2000 was also the year which saw the end of the renovation and modernisation process of the
winery.

2001. Purchase and constitution of Bodegas Alquiriz: Bodegas Alquiriz is the new project that is to promote Vega Sicilia. The desire of the Álvarez family is to make the best Toro wine, a designation that gives wines body, exoticism, an explosion of aromas, and a modern personality and character.

For this, since the harvest of 1997, 70 hectares of vineyard have been bought in different places within the Designation of Origin. After four years´ study of the concept of the wine, it is begun to be made in 2001 for commercial purposes. The strategy of this new winery is common to all those in the group: make wines with personality and high quality, which implies limited production of wine.