Miguel Angel is Winemaker in Rioja with 3 very specialized wineries: Bodegas Vinicola Real, Tierra Antigua, Hacienda Urbion

My name is Miguel Ángel Rodríguez. I have a a degree in Oenology and Viticulture at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, as well as being a Master Distiller. My family had a brandy distillery in Albelda and a winery in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, in the Rioja Alta, specialising in young wines for the bulk market. I took over the technical management of the winery, transforming it in a bodega for bottling and aging wine, with sales of some million bottles, both in Spain and in export markets. This gave me valuable experience in traditional Rioja winemaking.

BODEGAS VINICOLA REAL

But the urge to experiment with new wines without being tied to the classic winemaking of La Rioja and the desire for greater managerial freedom led me to set up my own very personal Bodega in 1990. This was the origin of Bodegas Vinícola Real.

Vinícola Real is a low-output bodega specialising in the highest quality wines, using grapes from its own vineyards (25 ha in 4 different zones of Rioja Alta) The bodega has the perfect size and layout for handling the grapes and making the wines, whilst allowing me to experiment and innovate.

One of my priorities is to keep in touch with his customers, and for this purpose I built a hotel next door to the winery. The hotel, “La Casa del Cofrade”, offers tasting sessions and seminars, giving interested visitors a greater insight into the winemaking process.
www.lacasadelcofrade.com

Two other wineries followed to create singular wines :
“Tierra Antigua” (2005) based on very old vineyards, in single privileged plots, producing limited quantities of very singular great Rioja wines and “Hacienda Urbion” (2008) producing high level Rioja for every day consumers, big wine for less money.
Have a look on my webs.

www.miguelangelwines.com

www.tierrantigua.com

www.vinicolareal.com