Reviving an extraordinary Spanish legacy

The estate has a remarkable history, dating back to 1146 when the Santa María de Retuerta monastery was founded on the site in Spain’s central plateau. The wines produced by the monks had already won fame by the 17th century. 

But over time, the estate switched to agricultural production and its enormous viticultural potential lay dormant until the late 1980s, when the decision was taken to restore the now privately owned 700-hectare property while incorporating the most advanced technnology. The man behind its revival was renowned French consultant Pascal Delbeck, who not only designed one of Spain’s first fully gravitational wineries, but worked with oenologist and head winemaker Ángel Anocíbar to replant the vines and instigate meticulous soil analysis of the 54 distinct plots. 

Winemaking is just one jewel, however, in the crown of Abadía Retuerta. The lovingly restored Romanesque abbey abbey is now home to an intimate 30-room hotel (the first in Spain to provide full butler service). Diners at the Michelin star restaurant, Refectorio, can savour high quality ingredients and products sourced from small-scale local producers while gazing at a 17th century fresco of The Last Supper. The Santuario Wellness & Spa, housed in the former stables area, is now a 1000-sqm plus temple to wellbeing using water extracted from its own well. Throughout the estate, a collection of Renaissance, Baroque and modern art is displayed in both modern and 15th-century settings, paying homage to Abadía Retuerta’s rich natural and cultural heritage. It is little wonder that it has been declared an official Site of Cultural Interest and was granted a Protected Designation of Origin recognising the estate's unique soils, microclimate and more than eight centuries of winemaking tradition.