González Puras: In the depths of Rioja

The subsoil of San Asensio is like Gruyere cheese. There are approximately 350 cellars under its streets, although very few have been restored and even fewer are used to make wine. San Asensio, one of the historic wine-producing villages of Rioja, has at present three cooperatives and very few commercial wineries.

One of them is Bodegas González Puras, situated at the highest point of the cellar district. It is run by husband and wife Esteban and Elena: “We started with my father-in-law, who had been making bulk wines for large wineries and some bars since the 1950s,” Esteban says. González Puras owns and grows five hectares of vineyards in and around San Asensio, although some grapes are also purchased to supplement their wines, especially the local clarete, a traditional speciality which is made blending red and white grapes.

The original cellar, the calado, dates back to the 16th century, although it was thoroughly renovated and adapted to modern winemaking. “It is not the most comfortable place to make wine, but it is our heritage testimony. These calados, built from natural stone, are also ideal to age wines,” Esteban explains. Visiting González Puras is a very pleasant experience: the small cellar is perfectly preserved as is the back patio overlooking the vineyards.

They make a full range of young wines (white, clarete and red) under the González Puras brand, as well as a white wine selected from grapes grown in 60+year-old vineyards. They also produce a Crianza and a Reserva. In addition to the wines, the family has developed its own range of winetherapy cosmetics: “shower gel, body milk, exfoliating scrub and moisturising cream are made with our grapes and we sell them at the winery,” Elena explains.