Bodega Finca La Legua

The Estate of La Legua and the Winery, which is over three hundred years old, have seen time go by for generations and have been direct witnesses to many events related with the history of Valladolid and the Kingdom of Castile.

For instance, it is more than likely that King Phillip II went down the pathways of La Legua when he traveled from Valladolid to the nearby town of Cigales, the native village and residence of Queen Anna of Austria, his fourth and most beloved wife.

La Legua was later occupied by Joseph Bonaparte’s troops, who, on their way from the northern Iberian Peninsula, decided to seek respite on the lands of the Estate of La Legua before entering the city of Valladolid, from which they could view it. However, they did not just find respite there. When the Frenchmen discovered that the winery was awash with great wines, they began to taste them until depleting the entire stock to celebrate their triumphs up to that point. This historical episode contributed to giving Joseph Bonaparte the nickname of “Pepe Bottle” in Spain. Today, these same age-old wineries are kept just as they were originally. They are connected to the modern wine barrel room through that we call the “time tunnel” and can be enjoyed by our visitors.

The more recent history of the Estate of La Legua is closely linked to the family of eminent neurologist and psychiatrist Emeterio Fernández Marcos. His passion for the countryside, his excitement about agriculture regaining the social and economic relevance it held in times gone by, and his vision of keeping the family together despite the elapsing years led him to acquire the estate in the 1960’s. Since then, its proximity to Valladolid has allowed the estate to become and remain a place of reference and a meeting point for both family and friends.

From the very outset, Emeterio had a clear vision which was unheard of up to that time: “On this land, red wines of extraordinary quality can be made. We just need to professionalize cultivation, along with proper time for study and dedication.” With this philosophy in the back of his mind, he ordered that nearly all of the old vines be torn out, because they had been very inefficient and difficult to harvest. He decided to change cultivation for several years to revitalize the earth and create the current plantation on the estate, with vines trained by espalier, an innovation for its time. The varieties chosen: Tempranillo, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Throughout all of these years, aware that the foundation of a product’s quality lies in the raw materials used to make it, here at the vineyard we have focused our concern on perfecting our wines.

The modern Winery was built years later, once the vineyard had reached the proper age to provide grapes of extraordinary quality. Therefore, in 1997 the first phase of the winery was built (the production building), and the first vintage was produced. In 1998, the second phase of the winery was erected (the barrel room). In 2000, construction was completed with the social building, designed by prestigious architect José María de Lapuerta, who earned First Prize at the fourth edition of the Architecture Awards of the Official Architects’ Associations of Castilla y León in 2001.

The changes in this Winery since its beginnings have stood out because we have constantly strived for perfection. To that end, in addition to the constant painstaking care of both the vineyard and the wine’s production, ongoing innovation and experimentation are two essential foundations upon which we have built up our quality.

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https://www.lalegua.com/en/winery/history/