The Companie del Norte d'Espagna, or simply CVNE, as the name is affectionately abbreviated by the locals, is one of the pioneers in the history of the development of Rioja wines and is still considered a bastion of tradition with only a few other producers of this famous Spanish wine. The now famous bodega was founded in 1879 in the picturesque town of Haro and even back then stood for many innovations that are now considered traditional, but for this very reason are once again attracting increasing attention. The 19th century halls in Haro, where the must ferments and the wine matures, are already considered a landmark of the village, and one of them was even built by none other than Gustav Eiffel, the architect of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is also home to the first ever winery building in which the wine is moved solely by gravity. A process that has only become increasingly popular in the last 30 years, and not only in the Rioja region, when setting up a winery. The region's first concrete tanks can also be admired here. But time also seems to stand still when it comes to wine production. Harvesting by hand in the old-fashioned way is just as much a matter of course here as long mash fermentation and a long ageing period in barrels, longer than in many other places. The iron-rich clay and limestone soils also have a major influence on the quality, as does the cool Atlantic influence, which is particularly intense here deep in the west of Rioja. The wines of the CVNE are considered traditional and impress with their authentic and genuine character, as superfluous and fast-moving modernisms have always been avoided. And the Reservas and Gran Reservas under the name "Impérial" have long been considered icons of the Spanish wine world.
