Grandes Pagos Top Hits 2023

2023

Communications Overview

Press Releases 118 Million Impressions total

108 Million Impressions / 666 listings GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA NAMES MARÍA DEL YERRO AS NEW PRESIDENT OF LEADING CRUS OF SPAIN MADRID (PRWEB) June 27, 2023 -- Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), the leading Spanish association of 36 renowned single estate vineyards known as the “Grands Crus of Spain,” has named María del Yerro as its new president, making her the first woman to lead the organization. Del Yerro will succeed former president Toni Sarrión, who following the conclusion of his term remains actively involved on GPE’s advisory team to support a seamless transition. A member of the GPE’s Board of Directors, del Yerro is a founder of Viñedos Alonso del Yerro in Ribera del Duero, which earned GPE membership in 2010.

“Under Toni Sarrión's presidency, Grandes Pagos de España strengthened the technical side of our association with many essential initiatives that demonstrate the proud integrity of our member wineries to the world,” del Yerro said. “As we enter our next stage of growth, my mission is to maximize this progress by promoting the value of Spanish pagos worldwide, and to selectively grow Grandes Pagos de España with new members that share our philosophy of making exceptional terroirdriven wines.”

Fluent in English and French, del Yerro has worked in wine for 30 years alongside her husband Javier Alonso. Together, they founded Viñedos Alonso del Yerro in 2002 in the Ribera del Duero region. Known for her collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, del Yerro is committed to the continuing success of GPE’s member wineries with a particular focus on constant interchange between members to advance the scientific and technical development of winemaking and cultivation techniques, as well as new ventures in wine tourism and global education.

Among new initiatives, GPE recently announced the launch of The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España, a global education program that goes beyond traditional wine study to present terroir culture on a whole new level. As of August 2023, the program will debut in the U.S. and Mexico with comprehensive coursework designed for consumers and trade led by top Spanish wine experts. Classroom study and tasting will focus on the foremost Spanish “pagos,” a single vineyard designation equivalent to the term “cru” reserved for notable viticultural sites.

The 36 member wineries of GPE are highly representative of the single vineyard diversity of Spain with pagos selected from Green Spain, Meseta North, Ebro River Valley, Meseta Central, Catalonia, the Mediterranean, the South and the Islands.

Membership in GPE is based on a rigorous and independent selection process that values the importance of quality viticulture and winemaking together with the influence of people, history, culture, geography and climate. To be eligible for membership, wines must come from an exceptional estate and single vineyard, have a track record of industry recognition for at least five years, and receive the highest ratings from established wine critics and competitions. Members are subject to continuing assessment by an independent tasting committee to ensure that quality standards are maintained.

For more information about recent news from Grandes Pagos de España and to request an interview with María del Yerro, please contact Claire Martin (claire@gregoryvine.com). Click here to view a complete bio and headshot for María del Yerro, and click here to download a Grandes Pagos de España Media Kit.

About Grandes Pagos de España

Founded in 2000, Grandes Pagos de España is a non-profit association of 36 prestigious wineries across Spain.

Membership in Grandes Pagos is based on rigorous selection criteria for viticulture and winemaking excellence on the level of a pago, a delineated vineyard that is the ultimate terroir designation in Spain. Grandes Pagos de España aims to defend the unique, terroir-driven personality of single-estate wines, to uphold and promote the ethos of Spanish winemaking, and to produce wines of excellence in harmony with the soil, nature and climate of each vineyard. The organization has just launched The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España (currently available in the U.S. and Mexico) to explore Spanish terroir in the context of history, science, geography, language and people. Click here for more information about Grandes Pagos de España.

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Claire Martin, Gregory + Vine, https://www.gregoryvine.com/, 1 913-687-6499, claire@gregoryvine.com

10 Million Impressions / 183 listings GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA LAUNCHES SPANISH TERROIR WORKSHOP – Immersive education program developed by Spain's "Grands Crus" goes beyond traditional wine study – MADRID, March 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), the leading Spanish association of 36 renowned single estate vineyards considered the "Grands Crus of Spain," has launched The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España, a global education program that goes beyond traditional wine study to present terroir culture on a whole new level. The program will debut in the U.S. and Mexico with comprehensive coursework designed for consumers and trade led by top Wine Ambassadors. Classroom study and tasting will focus on the foremost Spanish "pagos," a single vineyard designation equivalent to the term "cru" reserved for exceptional viticultural sites. Membership in Grandes Pagos is based on a rigorous and independent selection process.

"Spain has one of the most dynamic and historic wine cultures in the world, which reflects many influences often overlooked by wine education that prioritizes varieties and geography over the complexity of terroir," says Toni Sarrión, President of Grandes Pagos de España. "The term pago is at the heart of who we are and what we hope to communicate through education. Each of our wineries has a singular identity based on their unique geography, culture, history and people.

Working with top educators worldwide, we will explore the profound origins of Spanish wine from a perspective that places the highest value on terroir and human achievement."

The Terroir Workshop will launch in Miami, Los Angeles and Mexico as of August 2023, with additional locations worldwide to be announced. Classes will be led by notable Spanish wine experts, including Alessandra Esteves, Founder of Florida Wine Academy in Miami; Monica Marin dipWSET in Los Angeles; and Sandra Fernández Gaytán of SFG Estrategias in Mexico.

GPE Wine Ambassadors will share a common syllabus and will set the length of their coursework estimated at 8 to 10 hours of guided education and tasting. Students will receive a pre-read digital study guide with background on Green Spain, Meseta North, Ebro River Valley, Catalonia, Mediterranean, Meseta Central, South and the Islands. Classes will be held in person with dynamic presentations, testing and tasting to reinforce learning. Students who successfully finish the course will receive a certificate of completion.

To learn more about Grandes Pagos de España and The Terroir Workshop click here or contact emily@gregoryvine.com.

GREGORY{'VINE

Webinars

WEBINAR #1 APRIL 3, 2023

TOP MEDIA ATTENDEES

Rick Fisher Spanish Wine Guy

Lori Budd Exploring the Wine Glass

Regine Rousseau Shall We Wine

Nelson Gerena The Vintner Project

Brooke Martin The Brooke Blend

Devin Parr The Vintner Project

Melanie Young and David Ransom The Connected Table

David Crowley Cooking Chat

Brianne Cohen Decanter, Monarch Wine

Samantha Maxwell Paste Magazine

WEBINAR #2 SEPTEMBER 5, 2023

Total live Audience:120 plus additional streaming video hosted on website

The Grands Crus of Spain: Grandes Pagos de España and the Importance of Terroir Summary: Join the leading Spanish wine association of 35 wineries known as the “Grands Crus of Spain,” Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), for an exclusive webinar with the Spanish Wine Scholar Guild. GPE representatives Valentí Llagostera (Co-Owner & Co-Founder, Mas Doix) and Marta S. Martinez Bujanda (Director of Exports, Familia Martínez Bujanda) will discuss GPE’s mission to uphold the highest quality of Spanish terroir and GPE’s newest educational initiative, The Terroir Workshop.

Valentí Llagostera, Co-Owner & Co-Founder, Mas Doix Valentí Llagostera founded Mas Doix with his brother Ramon in 1998. Born in Barcelona in 1961, Valentí spent his childhood enjoying summers and harvests with his family in Poboleda. While harvesting the old vineyards in 1998, Valentí proposed the idea of a new winery, founded on the grapes going to the Poboleda Cooperative. Mas Doix celebrated its first vintage in 1999. Since 2012, Valentí has worked full-time on consolidating and growing Mas Doix’s brand, wines and winery. Mas Doix has been a proud member of GPE since 2004.

Marta S. Martinez Bujanda, Director of Exports, Familia Martínez Bujanda Marta Santander represents the fifth generation of the Martínez Bujanda Family, a family business dedicated to winemaking in the main Spanish regions (Rioja, La Mancha and Rueda) for more than 130 years. They are GPE members twice-over, both Finca Valpiedra (DOCa La Rioja) and Finca Montepedroso (DO Rueda). Born in 1977, she Marta has overseen exports for Familia Martínez Bujanda for 20 years, and she was appointed president of the Ruta del Vino de Rueda in November 2021. Finca Valpiedra has been a GPE member since 2004 and Finca Montepedroso since 2022.

WEBINAR #3 OCTOBER 30, 2023

TOP MEDIA ATTENDEES Roger Morris The Drinks Business, Santé Magazine

Ari Bendersky Huffington Post, Chicago Magazine

Corin Hirsch Wine Enthusiast

Kathleen Willcox Paste Magazine, SevenFifty

May Matta-Aliah In the Grape

Hayley Hamilton Cogill Dallas Uncorked, Tasting Table, Red Wine With Breakfast

Jason Wilson Wine Enthusiast, Everyday Drinks

David Jacobs Food & Beverage

Aaron Kiel Bar & Restaurant

Shana Clarke SevenFifty, VinePair, Falstaff

Jonathon Alsop Boston Wine School

Rachel DelRocco Terrazas Eater, Wine & Spirits

John Sporing American Wine Society Wine Journal

Dan Marsteller Shanken/Impact

Tom Marquardt Capital Gazette

Lana Bortolot Forbes, Wall Street Journal

Sara Lehman Somm in the City

Robert HaynesPeterson VinePair

Lori Budd Exploring the Wine Glass

Master Classes

MASTER CLASS #1 APRIL 3, 2023

GREGORY{'VINE

MASTER CLASS #2 MAY 15, 2023

GREGORY{'VINE

MASTER CLASS #3 MAY 17, 2023

GREGORY{'VINE

Select Media 250 Million Impressions total

March 14, 2023 Circulation: 68,122 Digital

GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA LAUNCHES GLOBAL TERROIR WORKSHOP Joe Gilbert

Leading Spanish producer association, Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), has launched a global education program which puts the country’s ‘grand crus’ front and centre.

The ‘immersive education program’ has been developed with the aim of going beyond the realm of traditional wine study and promises to explore the full impact of history, science, geography, language and people on terroir, according to the organsation.

The program will debut in the US and Mexico, with plans to broaden to other markets in due course.

GPE is a high profile Spanish association and represents 36 renowned single estate vineyards.

The course, dubbed The Terroir Workshop by GPE, aims to broaden knowledge of these estates, therefore taking the notion of the country’s terroir and wine culture to a new level.

“Spain has one of the most dynamic and historic wine cultures in the world, which reflects many influences often overlooked by wine education that prioritises varieties and geography. This can be to the detriment of a more holistic definition of terroir,” says Toni Sarrión, president of Grandes Pagos de España.

“The term pago is at the heart of who we are as an organisation and what we hope to communicate through our education program. Each of our wineries has a singular identity based on their unique geography, culture, history and perhaps most significantly, the people behind the wines today. Working with top educators worldwide, we will explore the profound complexity of Spanish wine from a perspective that places the highest value on terroir and human achievement.”

Classroom study and tasting will focus on Spanish ‘pagos’, a single vineyard designation reserved for exceptional viticultural sites.

The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España will launch in Miami, Los Angeles and Mexico as of August 2023, with additional locations worldwide to be announced. Classes will be led by notable Spanish wine experts, including Alessandra Esteves, founder of Florida Wine Academy in Miami, Monica Marin DipWSET in Los Angeles and Sandra Fernández Gaytán, of SFG Estrategias in Mexico.

Each educator will cover eight regions of Spain (Green Spain, Meseta North, Ebro River Valley, Catalonia, Mediterranean, Meseta Central, South and the Islands), each sharing a common syllabus. Tasting will form a key component of the course too, featuring an ‘exclusive curriculum’ of wine from selection of pagos from GPE member wineries.

For more information about the courses click here.

June 28, 2023 Circulation: 68,122 Digital

DRINKS TRADE WELCOMES NEW PERSONNEL IN SUMMER RESHUFFLE James Lawrence

Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), a Spanish association of 36 single-estate vineyards, has announced the appointment of its new president María del Yerro (pictured) with immediate effect.

Del Yerro is the first female president to steer GPE and the co-founder of Viñedos Alonso del Yerro in Ribera del Duero, a member of Grandes Pagos. In her presidential role, del Yerro’s goal is to advance the scientific and technical development of Spanish winemaking and cultivation techniques, as well as to maximise new ventures in wine tourism and global education.

Among its new initiatives, GPE recently announced the launch of The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España, a global education program that goes beyond traditional wine study to present terroir culture on a whole new level. As of August 2023, the program will debut in the US and Mexico with comprehensive coursework designed for consumers and trade led by top Spanish wine experts.

May 23, 2023 Circulation: 226,193 Digital

THE TERROIR WORKSHOP: UN NUEVO TALLER POR GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA Y SANDRA FERNÁNDEZ El programa va más allá́ del estudio tradicional del vino.

Staff

Grandes Pagos de España es una asociación que cuenta con 36 viñedos que comúnmente se les conoce como los “Grands Crus de España“. Recientemente ellos, junto a la reconocida sommelier Sandra Fernández, decidieron lanzar The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España. Un curso enfocado en dar a conocer la cultura del terroir español (ya sea a nivel ameteur o profesional) en México y Estados Unidos.

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September 1, 2023 Circulation: 75,000 Digital

Tips for Selecting Premium Spanish Wines Jacqueline Coleman For those who may not have a bottomless bank account to travel the world seeking out the best of the best, there are classification and ranking systems to help guide consumers to bottles that are produced under certain requirements.

Grape varieties, winemaking styles and viticultural practices are included among them, and these classifications, while not perfect, are there to ensure that quality, style and tradition are respected – and that what you get in the bottle is a proper reflection of the land and winemaking of that area.

Quality Levels in Spain In Spain, the “denominación de origen” (DO) designation guarantees a certain level of quality and specifications for grape varieties and regional boundaries. The “denominación de origen calificado” (DOCa) goes a step further, requiring DOs to have standing of at least 10 years and apply to be approved to use the higher label. So far, only two DOCas exist: Rioja and Priorat.

Another classification in Spain includes the Vino de Pago (VP) designation, which applies to a small number of single estates with top reputations using only estate-grown grapes from unique “pagos” or single vineyards. Beyond that, there’s the Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), requiring a consistent track record of the highest quality wines from those estates that are accepted as members.

Grandes Pagos de España is a nonprofit association of just 36 wineries as of 2023, though the number has been steadily increasing since its beginning in 2000 with five founding wineries.

These wineries are spread across Spain in 20 different viticultural zones. The members of the association share a commitment to preserve the single vineyard personality of Spanish terroir and produce wines of excellence. In other words, these wineries represent the “Grand Crus” of Spain.

Part of the organization’s mission is to educate the wine trade and curious consumers about Spanish terroir in the context of history, science, geography, language and people. This is achieved through special terroir workshops that are taking place in Miami, Los Angeles and Mexico. In Miami, the first GPE workshop was led by Alessandra Esteves, co-founder and director of wine education at Florida Wine Academy. Those who attended the event earlier this year received guided classroom study and in-person tastings of wines from these grand estates, as well as the opportunity to hear from several guest speakers from member wineries.

In Miami, the first GPE workshop was led by Alessandra Esteves, co-founder and director of wine education at Florida Wine Academy. Those who attended the event earlier this year received guided classroom study and in-person tastings of wines from these grand estates, as well as the opportunity to hear from several guest speakers from member wineries. One of those member wineries presented in Miami was sparkling wine producer Gramona.

In Miami, the first GPE workshop was led by Alessandra Esteves, co-founder and director of wine education at Florida Wine Academy. Those who attended the event earlier this year received guided classroom study and in-person tastings of wines from these grand estates, as well as the opportunity to hear from several guest speakers from member wineries. One of those member wineries presented in Miami was sparkling wine producer Gramona.

Grandes Pagos de España Gramona is a historic grand estate cultivating premium wines in Spain through generations of family winemaking practices.

This winery’s long-aging method for producing its highest-level sparkling wine from the best vineyards makes it an ideal member of the Grandes Pagos family.

The Gramona brand grew from uniting two major wine industry families in Catalonia. The Batlle and Gramona families were joined through marriage and began making Spanish sparkling wine as a family winery by the early 20th century. One hundred years later, the Gramona family and brand have become leaders in Spain’s top-level sparkling wines as part of the Grandes Pagos de España, as well as a new classification called Corpinnat.

As part of its commitment as a member of GPE, respect for the land is one of the top philosophies at Gramona, with biodynamic farming at the heart of its agricultural practices.

Biodynamics supports the self-sufficiency of the land through regenerative practices. This means that the family farms organically, without the use of chemicals, and prioritizes the increase of biodiversity on the property – an important component of healthy, regenerative land. This natural approach to viticulture ensures that the wines produced from the grapes of these vineyards truly showcase tradition and unique characteristics.

Though located in the traditional Cava-producing region of Spain, Gramona classifies its wines under the new Corpinnat designation. The Corpinnat brand is recognized by the European Union as an official designation for Spanish sparkling wine producers who adhere to certain practices. These practices include a commitment to historic grape varieties and production in the traditional sparkling wine region of Penedès. Producers must use only 100% organic grapes that are harvested manually and must vinify their wines on their estate properties.

Corpinnat producers also commit to long-aging practices and using grapes from their own vineyards, or through long-term purchasing agreements that are carefully observed. As a result, consumers can be assured that bottles carrying the Corpinnat designation are from producers who care not only about top-quality winemaking practices, but also about the history and tradition of these methods. It’s safe to say that as a member of both Grandes Pagos de España and the Corpinnat brand, Gramona is one producer that is leading the way in showcasing the best wines of Spain. Interested consumers and industry members can learn more at another in-person terroir workshop with Grandes Pagos de España in Miami this fall.

June 20, 2023 Circulation: 31,462 Digital

THE EVOLUTION OF GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA Amaya Cervera At a recent meeting of winemakers from Grandes Pagos de España, Víctor de la Serna, the veteran wine and food writer who founded Finca Sandoval, pointed out that he was the sole remaining member among the producers from Castilla-La Mancha who created this association.

Producer and theatre entrepreneur Manuel Manzaneque of Finca Élez passed away in 2016, four years before Carlos Falcó (Dominio de Valdepusa), the driving force behind the group and its leading figure for almost two decades, and businessman Alfonso Cortina (Vallegracía) died a few days later of Covid. In 2021, Francisco Uribes of Pago de Calzadilla also died. Before that, in 2010, Marcial Gómez Sequeira sold Dehesa del Carrizal to the Villar Mir family, although the winery remained in the association. Víctor de la Serna himself sold his property in 2019 but maintains links with both his former winery and Grandes Pagos.

The association was officially launched in September 2000 under the name Grandes Pagos de Castilla bringing together eight producers from Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León. The latter was represented by the two wineries owned by the García family at that moment: Mauro (VT Castilla) and San Román (Toro); and Aalto in Ribera del Duero, in which Mariano García is also a partner. The group's philosophy was expressed by Carlos Falcó at the time: "It's not enough to make a good wine; you have to make a different wine, with its own personality, and that's what a pago [a Spanish term for a cru] probably does better than any other". It was a time when international varieties were flourishing in certain Spanish regions, and Richard Smart was successfully spreading his sunlight approach to winegrowing.

Today, Grandes Pagos has 36 members in 20 wine regions. The presentations at the association's meeting, with the presence of their technical teams in Mallorca, revealed a paradigm shift and new paths towards the terroir. Francesca Fort Marçal, a researcher at the Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona, spoke about local varieties and their greater ability to cope with climate change.

The other focus was on the measurement of viticultural variables. This was the subject of presentations by Gonzaga Santesteban, Professor of Viticulture at the University of Navarra, and Martín di Stefano, head of viticulture at ZuccardiValle de Uco. Di Stefano explained Zuccardi's very detailed zoning experience and how they moved from explaining wine in terms of time in barrel to exploring the many factors (flora, elevation, microclimate, geology, topography...) behind terroir.

Their new approach is also reflected in the language they use, as they now speak of "natural environments" and the need to adapt grapegrowing to each of them.

Strengthening the technical side During the meeting in Mallorca, the Grandes Pagos board approved a new presidency after eight years under Toni Sarrión (Mustiguillo, Valencia). During Sarrión's tenure, particular attention was paid to technical and quality issues. "One of the first steps was to set up an external tasting committee to evaluate the wines in blind tastings. Under the 20-point

system, all wines must score 14 points and we also ask members to have at least one wine with a score of 16," explains the outgoing president.

Moving away from big PR events to a series of small actions (Sarrión calls them "thin rain") to reach out to wine schools, sommeliers and prescribers is another major change. "When I arrived, I found an association in transition, with a really strong presidency led by Carlos Falcó. Sometimes it seemed that we were a group of producers gathered around him," recalls Sarrión.

So while Falcó was a great ambassador for Grandes Pagos in the world and the man who put the association on the map, Sarrión focused on promoting quality at a time when stagnation was synonymous with regression. The Valencian producer also promoted ongoing training, experience exchanges and frequent updates through the "Network of Knowledge", which consists of two annual meetings for winemakers. The one hosted by Bodega Ribas in Mallorca earlier this month included a tasting with local producers of recovered grapes and another of Mediterranean wines, from Lebanon and Greece to Italy and the French coast. These are the kind of experiences wine lovers dream of.

María del Yerro, owner of Bodegas Alonso del Yerro in Ribera del Duero and a member since 2009, is the third president to hold the post. She believes that the greatest asset of Grandes Pagos nowadays is its diversity.

Communication and the recruitment of new members will be her main goals. "We have not yet reached the point where a winery is better known because it belongs to Grandes Pagos. We want to spread the word both in Spain and abroad," she explains. In terms of the international market, the group has just launched The Terroir Workshop in the United States and Mexico. This is an educational wine course that provides general content on different wine regions and focuses on the distinctive terroirs of its members to explain Spain through its wines. They are working with brand ambassadors in both countries to bring the course to wine schools offering WSET courses and other wine qualifications.

The diverse origins of its members allow the group to represent the most important Spanish DOs (Rías Baixas, Rueda, Rioja, Ribera, Priorat, Jerez), as well as many other interesting areas: Montilla, Ronda, Extremadura, Toro, Txakoli, Navarra, Somontano, Penedès, fine sparkling wines thanks to Gramona, Valencia or the Balearic Islands. With the two Castillas and other Catalan areas covered, it would be great to see more producers from Aragón and Galicia. Bierzo is missing (although Mencía is present thanks to Fuentes del Silencio, a winery in the Jamuz valley, south of Bierzo), as are the Canary Islands. In total, 60 different varieties are represented: 28 reds and 32 whites.

Another of María del Yerro's goals is to recruit "small artisanal producers" who produce less than 40,000 bottles. "But whoever joins must share the group's philosophy and have a strong focus on terroir. The new membership policy is very important to us," she explains. "First, the executive committee examines the applications, then the winery and vineyard are visited - soil studies are of great importance to us - and the tasting committee evaluates the wines. Finally, the application has to be approved unanimously. In addition, members from the applicant's region can have their say beforehand," explains the new president. Membership fees are based on the size of the winery and the number of bottles produced.

Under Del Yerro's presidency, women will have more representation on the board. Things have definitely changed since the days when María was the only woman at the meetings.

The Pago confusion The name of the association remains the same, despite being considered pompous and confusing by some -it uses the same term (pago) as the growing number of DO Vino de Pago in Spain.

The issue dates back to past lobbying efforts by Carlos Falcó and other producers from Castilla-La Mancha to find a figure that would unite quality-driven projects in an area whose DOs were synonymous with volume and cheap wines. In the end, the Regional Council of Agriculture created the DO Vino de Pago de Castilla-La Mancha with Decree 127/2000. The legal basis was provided by the Spanish Wine Law of 1970, which established that an individual estate could become a DO in its own right.

Just one month after the decree was approved, the Grandes Pagos de Castilla Association was formally established and in 2002 Dominio de Valdepusa became the first property to be awarded the DO Vino de Pago. Eventually, all the founders of Grandes Pagos from Castilla-La Mancha, with the exception of Finca Sandoval, would obtain their own DO Vino de Pago.

With this initiative in place, the Spanish Wine Law of 2003 authorised and developed the DO Vino de Pago for the whole country, leaving it to each autonomous community to determine the minimum size of the "pago". Since then, the use of the term "pago" has been restricted to the DOs of the same name. However, existing brands such as Pago de Carraovejas or Pago de los Capellanes were allowed to keep the word in their names. The same applied to the association, which in 2004 extended its membership to non-Castilian regions and changed its name to Grandes Pagos de España.

The coexistence of all these "pagos" (existing brands that include the term as part of their name, the DOs Vino de Pago and the producers' association, which places great emphasis on the term) can be confusing. In fact Grandes Pagos points out that its members include producers who are a DO Vino de Pago (in addition to those already mentioned, Abadía Retuerta in Castilla y León, Arínzano in Navarra and El Terrerazo in Valencia) and others with DOs, PGIs or even without any geographical designation. Most of the articles written about Grandes Pagos in specialist wine magazines contain some sort of clarification in this regard.

Grandes Pagos defines pago as "a vineyard whose characteristics set it apart from the surrounding vineyards" (because of its soil structure, exposure, plant material...) and which produces "an exceptional quality of fruit".

María del Yerro believes that the next presidency, which will be elected in for four years, should take account of the generational change in the member wineries. Perhaps the younger ones will be able to address this issue.

El estudio y la cata se centrarán en los pagos españoles más importantes, una designación de un viñedo delimitado equivalente al término “cru” reservado a terrenos vitivinícolas considerados excepcionales.

También puedes leer: Bodegas Domecq, 50 años liderando el vino mexicano “España tiene una de las culturas vinícolas más dinámicas e históricas del mundo, que refleja muchas influencias a menudo pasadas por alto por la enseñanza del vino que prioriza las variedades y la geografía. Esto puede ir en detrimento de una definición más holística del terroir“, afirma en un comunicado Toni Sarrión, Presidente de Grandes Pagos de España.

También te puede interesar: 425 año de Casa Madero The Terroir Workshop de Grandes Pagos de España debutará en México a partir del mes de septiembre 2023 (fecha exacta por confirmar) y durará de 2 a 3 días.

El taller cubrirá ocho regiones de España y tendrán charlas a profundidad acerca del impacto de la historia, la cultura, la geografía y el clima en cada una de ellas.

Para más información da click aquí.

November 11, 2023 Digital

Understanding the Spanish Terroir; Grandes Pagos de España Lori Budd

Grandes Pagos de Espana x Fall Press Webinar November 1, 2023

September 30, 2023 Digital

Promoting Diversity & Personality w/ María del Yerro and Enrique Valero, Grandes Pagos de España Peter Yeung, Robert Vernick

With the aim of safeguarding the wines of personality from special vineyards (or “pagos”) from across Spain, the Grandes Pagos de España is a private group of wineries on the forefront of Spanish wine. President María del Yerro, of Alonso del Yerro, and VP Enrique Valero, CEO of Abadía Retuerta, discuss the history, objectives, how to join, and their new Terroir Workshop Series.

Sep 30, 2023 Followers: 1336 Social

How do you get the world to know and dig into the special terroirs around Spain? Maria del Yerro San Román and Enrique Valero, leaders of the Grand Pagos de Espana tell Robert V. and Peter Yeung about how the Grand Pagos organization has banded together 35 wineries that uniquely represent a single terroir across Spain to send this message.

Listen in (and don't forget to rate and review!): Apple - https://lnkd.in/geTzdfDN Spotify – https://lnkd.in/gd9fkR7D gXChateau - https://lnkd.in/g5H6qXrH hashtag#spain hashtag#wine hashtag#winemarketing hashtag#luxurywinemarketing hashtag#wineinvesting hashtag#spanishwine

Sept 5, 2023 16,000 Members

GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TERROIR With Marta Santander, Rick Fisher, Valentí Llagostera Tuesday Aug 8 2023

Summary: Join the leading Spanish wine association of 35 wineries known as the “Grands Crus of Spain,” Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), for an exclusive webinar with the Spanish Wine Scholar Guild.

GPE representatives Valentí Llagostera (Co-Owner & Co-Founder, Mas Doix) and Marta Santander (Director of Exports, Familia Martínez Bujanda) will discuss GPE’s mission to uphold the highest quality of Spanish terroir and GPE’s newest educational initiative, The Terroir Workshop.

Speaker Bios: Valentí Llagostera, Co-Owner & Co-Founder, Mas Doix Valentí Llagostera founded Mas Doix with his brother Ramon in 1998. Born in Barcelona in 1961, Valentí spent his childhood enjoying summers and harvests with his family in Poboleda. While harvesting the old vineyards in 1998, Valentí proposed the idea of a new winery, founded on the grapes going to the Poboleda Cooperative. Mas Doix celebrated its first vintage in 1999. Since 2012, Valentí has worked full-time on consolidating and growing Mas Doix’s brand, wines and winery. Mas Doix has been a proud member of GPE since 2004.

Marta Santander, Director of Exports, Familia Martínez Bujanda Marta Santander is the Director of Exports for Familia Martínez Bujanda, which oversees the GPE member wineries Finca Valpiedra and Finca Montepedroso. Born in 1977, she represents the fifth generation of the Martínez Bujanda Family, a family business dedicated to winemaking in the main Spanish regions (Rioja, La Mancha and Rueda) for more than 130 years. Marta has overseen exports for Familia Martínez Bujanda for 20 years, and she was appointed president of the Ruta del Vino de Rueda in November 2021. Finca Valpiedra has been a GPE member since 2004 and Finca Montepedroso since 2022.

July 5, 2023 Circulation: 46,435 Digital

MARÍA DEL YERRO IS NAMED PRESIDENT OF GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA Del Yerro is the cofounder of Viñedos Alonso del Yerro in Ribera del Duero, a member winery of Grandes Pagos de España.

She will be the first woman to lead the Spanish association of 36 renowned single-estate vineyards. In her new role, del Yerro will be responsible for advancing the scientific and technical development of Spanish winemaking, and maximizing new ventures in tourism and education. (Press release)

June 29, 2023 Circulation: 22,438 Digital

GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA NAMES MARÍA DEL YERRO AS NEW PRESIDENT OF LEADING CRUS OF SPAIN – Del Yerro is the first woman president to head Spain’s leading organization of 36 single-estate wineries – Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), the leading Spanish association of 36 renowned single estate vineyards known as the “Grands Crus of Spain,” has named María del Yerro as its new president, making her the first woman to lead the organization. Del Yerro will succeed former president Toni Sarrión, who following the conclusion of his term remains actively involved on GPE’s advisory team to support a seamless transition. A member of the GPE’s Board of Directors, del Yerro is a founder of Viñedos Alonso del Yerro in Ribera del Duero, which earned GPE membership in 2010.

“Under Toni Sarrión’s presidency, Grandes Pagos de España strengthened the technical side of our association with many essential initiatives that demonstrate the proud integrity of our member wineries to the world,” del Yerro said. “As we enter our next stage of growth, my mission is to maximize this progress by promoting the value of Spanish pagos worldwide, and to selectively grow Grandes Pagos de España with new members that share our philosophy of making exceptional terroirdriven wines.”

Fluent in English and French, del Yerro has worked in wine for 30 years alongside her husband Javier Alonso. Together, they founded Viñedos Alonso del Yerro in 2002 in the Ribera del Duero region. Known for her collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, del Yerro is committed to the continuing success of GPE’s member wineries with a particular focus on constant interchange between members to advance the scientific and technical development of winemaking and cultivation techniques, as well as new ventures in wine tourism and global education.

Among new initiatives, GPE recently announced the launch of The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España, a global education program that goes beyond traditional wine study to present terroir culture on a whole new level. As of August 2023, the program will debut in the U.S. and Mexico with comprehensive coursework designed for consumers and trade led by top Spanish wine experts. Classroom study and tasting will focus on the foremost Spanish “pagos,” a single vineyard designation equivalent to the term “cru” reserved for notable viticultural sites.

The 36 member wineries of GPE are highly representative of the single vineyard diversity of Spain with pagos selected from Green Spain, Meseta North, Ebro River Valley, Meseta Central, Catalonia, the Mediterranean, the South and the Islands.

Membership in GPE is based on a rigorous and independent selection process that values the importance of quality viticulture and winemaking together with the influence of people, history, culture, geography and climate. To be eligible for membership, wines must come from an exceptional estate and single vineyard, have a track record of industry recognition for at least five years, and receive the highest ratings from established wine critics and competitions. Members are subject to continuing assessment by an independent tasting committee to ensure that quality standards are maintained.

About Grandes Pagos de España

Founded in 2000, Grandes Pagos de España is a non-profit association of 36 prestigious wineries across Spain.

Membership in Grandes Pagos is based on rigorous selection criteria for viticulture and winemaking excellence on the level of a pago, a delineated vineyard that is the ultimate terroir designation in Spain. Grandes Pagos de España aims to defend the unique, terroir-driven personality of single-estate wines, to uphold and promote the ethos of Spanish winemaking, and to produce wines of excellence in harmony with the soil, nature and climate of each vineyard. The organization has just launched The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España (currently available in the U.S. and Mexico) to explore Spanish terroir in the context of history, science, geography, language and people. Click here for more information about Grandes Pagos de España.

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Ashley I Wine Guide shejher Blogger

I got to taste the wines with the winemaker one on one...

Sounds like a great community of wineries and winemakers!

May 3, 2023 Digital

INTRODUCING THE GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPANA Lori Budd

I recently attended a virtual workshop that introduced me to the association consisting of thirty-six single estate vineyards that are recognized as the “Grands Crus of Spain.” The members of the Crus require a minimum of five years track record of quality in the vineyard and glass, as well as pass an annual blind tasting evaluation.

The Grandes Pagos de España was founded in 2000 and is a non-profit association in which the members have passed rigorous criteria from vineyard to bottle; it is the “ultimate terroir designation” in Spain. As an association, the members aim to “defend the unique, terroir-driven personality of single-estate wines, to uphold and promote the ethos of Spanish winemaking, and to produce wines of excellence in harmony with the soil, nature and climate of each vineyard.”

The vineyards included in the consortium represent only .23% of total hectares under vine in Spain. Sixty grape varieties are approved (28 red and 32 white.) Fifteen of the wineries are certified using ecological viticulture and three are biodynamically certified.

The alliance currently is preparing to launch an educational program that focuses on terroir. At this time, the program is still being tweaked in order to provide the best overall experience, but it will include both classroom study and tastings. Currently the classes are slated for Miami, Los Angeles and Mexico beginning in August 2023, with additional locations to be announced in the future. The program has acquired the expertise of Alessandra Esteves, Founder of Florida Wine Academy in Miami; Monica Marin DipWSET in Los Angeles; and Sandra Fernández Gaytán, of SFG Estrategias in Mexico.

The program will cover eight regions of Spain (Green Spain, Meseta North, Ebro River Valley, Catalonia, Mediterranean, Meseta Central, South and the Islands) and will take a deep dive into the history, culture, geography, climate and people on terroir. It will detail the differences between the Vino de Pago system which is based on soil composition and the Grandes de Pagos (GPE) in which the wineries have the ability to bottle under any designation since it is based on the track record of quality, not a specific location.

For more information about upcoming classes, and to be notified of new course locations, please contact info@GrandesPagos.com. ~Slàinte!

March 13, 2023 Circulation: 32,331 Digital

GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA LAUNCHES SPANISH TERROIR WORKSHOP – Immersive education program developed by Spain’s “Grand Crus” goes beyond traditional wine study to explore the full impact of history, science, geography, language and people– Grandes Pagos de España (GPE), the leading Spanish association of 36 renowned single estate vineyards known as the “Grands Crus of Spain,” has launched The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España, a global education program that goes beyond traditional wine study to present terroir culture on a whole new level. The program will debut in the U.S. and Mexico with comprehensive coursework designed for consumers and trade led by top Wine Ambassadors. Classroom study and tasting will focus on the foremost Spanish “pagos,” a single vineyard designation equivalent to the term “cru” reserved for exceptional viticultural sites. Membership in Grandes Pagos is based on a rigorous and independent selection process that values the importance of quality viticulture and winemaking together with the influence of people, history, culture, geography and climate.

“Spain has one of the most dynamic and historic wine cultures in the world, which reflects many influences often overlooked by wine education that prioritizes varieties and geography. This can be to the detriment of a more holistic definition of terroir,” says Toni Sarrión, President of Grandes Pagos de España. “The term pago is at the heart of who we are as an organization and what we hope to communicate through our education program. Each of our wineries has a singular identity based on their unique geography, culture, history and perhaps most significantly, the people behind the wines today. Working with top educators worldwide, we will explore the profound complexity of Spanish wine from a perspective that places the highest value on terroir and human achievement.”

The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España will launch in Miami, Los Angeles and Mexico as of August 2023, with additional locations worldwide to be announced. Classes will be led by notable Spanish wine experts, including: Alessandra Esteves, Founder of Florida Wine Academy in Miami; Monica Marin DipWSET in Los Angeles; and Sandra Fernández Gaytán, of SFG Estrategias in Mexico. Each educator will cover eight regions of Spain (Green Spain, Meseta North, Ebro River Valley, Catalonia, Mediterranean, Meseta Central, South and the Islands) with instruction to encompass the impact of history, culture, geography, climate and people on terroir.

Each GPE Wine Ambassador will share a common syllabus and will determine the length of the coursework over one or two days, estimated at eight to ten hours of guided education and tasting. Students will receive a pre-read digital study guide. Additionally, students will receive comprehensive profiles of GPE wineries to guide their immersion into Spanish pago and terroir culture. Classes will be held in person and will include a combination of dynamic presentations and testing to reinforce learning. Tasting will be a critical component, and as part of the exclusive curriculum, students will taste a wide selection of pagos from GPE member wineries. Students who successfully finish the course will receive a certificate of completion. For more information about upcoming classes, and to be notified of new course locations, please contact info@GrandesPagos.com.

To learn more about Grandes Pagos de España and The Terroir Workshop click here.

About Grandes Pagos de España

Founded in 2000, Grandes Pagos de España is a non-profit association of thirty-six prestigious wineries across Spain.

Membership in Grandes Pagos is based on rigorous selection criteria for viticulture and winemaking excellence on the level of a pago, a delineated vineyard that is the ultimate terroir designation in Spain. Grandes Pagos de España aims to defend the unique, terroir-driven personality of single-estate wines, to uphold and promote the ethos of Spanish winemaking, and to produce wines of excellence in harmony with the soil, nature and climate of each vineyard. The organization has just launched The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España (currently available in the U.S. and Mexico) to explore Spanish terroir in the context of history, science, geography, language and people. Click here for more information about Grandes Pagos de España or email info@grandespagos.com.