Pioneers at the foot of the Pyrenees: How Viñas del Vero helped invent the D.O. Somontano
The name says it all: Viñas del Vero — vineyards on the Vero, the river that descends from the Pyrenees through wild gorges and canyons and traverses the Somontano region in Northern Aragon. The winery was founded in Barbastro (Huesca province) at the end of 1986 with the purchase of 550 hectares of land, and the first vines were planted starting in 1987 — including both traditional varieties like Garnacha, Tempranillo, Moristel, and Macabeo, as well as international varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Gewürztraminer. Viñas del Vero was thus a co-founder of the Denominación de Origen Somontano from the very beginning, which the winery brought to life together with other businesses in the region. The first wines hit the market in 1990. Since 2008, Viñas del Vero has been part of the portfolio of González Byass, the traditional Jerez house — a step that provided the business with stability and international momentum without changing its established course.
Gravity, precision viticulture, and the climate protection certificate
Viñas del Vero currently owns 515 hectares of its own vineyards and sources grapes from another 500 hectares managed in partnership with local winemakers. The plots are characterized by barren, stony soil with a high lime content — partly over tertiary gypsum layers, partly on quaternary river terraces of the Vero. Most sites are south-facing and slightly sloped. The climate follows the continental pattern of the high Aragonese plateaus: short, dry summers, long cold winters, and precipitation primarily in spring and autumn.
The winery, opened in 1993, utilizes a 13-meter gradient so that the entire production process — from mash treatment to bottling — runs by gravity, largely eliminating the need for mechanical pumps. Precision viticulture employs moisture sensors and drip irrigation; the processed wash water is treated and reused to irrigate the surrounding vineyards. Photovoltaic systems provide electricity from renewable sources for this purpose. For this bundle of measures, Viñas del Vero received the Wineries for Climate Protection certificate — as the only winery in Aragon and one of the first 19 in all of Spain.
International varieties, old Garnacha vines, and the breadth of the range
The range spans a wide arc: the entry-level lines — Luces Blanco, Luces Rosado, and Luces Tinto — represent accessible, fruit-forward everyday wines from the denomination's main grape varieties. The Sauvignon Blanc shows that international white wine varieties develop aromatic precision in the cool Somontano. With the Gran Vos, the level rises significantly: a red wine that has been recognized on the international stage at the IWSC (International Wine and Spirit Challenge). The true centerpiece, however, is the Secastilla project: at an altitude of 700 to 800 meters in the valley of the same name, old Garnacha vines thrive, from which the La Miranda de Secastilla Garnacha Tinto — a cuvée that also incorporates the local Parraleta variety — draws its character. Old vines, barren mountain sites, short growing season: this results in wines with grip and depth that bring the house style to the point — deeply rooted and artisanally precise.
