The winery
Arco de Curiel was founded in 1998 based on a philosophy of quality, and accordingly made a commitment to produce only wines from its own vineyards, based on respect for the traditional winemaking methods of the Ribera del Duero.
The name is linked to its location, next to one of the old entrance gates to the town of Curiel, called ‘Arco de la Magdalena’ (Magdalene’s arch) but popularly known as the “ARCO DE CURIEL”.
Facilities
The winery has a series of stainless steel tanks with the capacity to process up to 250,000 kg of grapes per year.
We also have two underground cellars for barrel ageing and bottle ageing, providing the perfect humidity and temperature conditions for the ageing and resting of the wines until they are ready for sale.
These modern, simple and functional facilities allow us to work with the harmony required to produce great wines.
30 hectares of own vineyards
Our vineyards, covering just over 30 hectares on the banks of the River Duero, in the municipalities of Bocos and Curiel de Duero, are all planted with the Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) variety, with an average age of around 30 years. We practise environmentally friendly, sustainable and predominantly organic viticulture, enabling us to produce distinctive, unique wines.
Situated between 725 and 800 metres above sea level, the soils are alluvial, sandy with well-drained gravel, featuring chalky and clayey areas, and limestone slopes with calcareous clay soils; in short, complex soils which, along with the distinctive Atlantic-continental climate (very cold winters, hot summers and a wide temperature range), give the grapes unique, remarkable characteristics that are transferred to our wines.
Harvest
One of the most special and intense, demanding yet rewarding moments; it occurs when ripening conditions are optimal and the grapes have the right balance of sugar and acidity. After selecting the bunches in the vineyard, only those in perfect condition are harvested by hand into 20 kg boxes, ensuring that the fruit arrives at the winery intact and avoiding any damage during the harvest and transport.
Production and ageing
The grapes arrive at the winery and are then taken to the fermentation hall, equipped with stainless steel tanks of varying capacities, and all fitted with temperature control systems to ensure ideal maceration based on the profile of each wine.
Ageing is another key aspect of our wines; we use carefully selected medium and fine grain French and American oak barrels; the length of time spent in the barrel varies depending on the characteristics of each vintage and each type of wine, so the winery’s technical team conducts regular tastings to refine the profile of each wine, maintaining a consistent style from one year to the next.
Bottling and marketing
Finally, in the spring our wines are bottled in 0.75-litre bottles and 1.5-litre Magnums, and are marketed through a network of specialist distributors.
