In the 1990s, the La Rioja Alta group decided to try their luck in the Ribera del Duero, where terroir and microclimate meet to invite the utmost expression of the Tempranillo grape. They sought the best possible site following advice from the denomination’s best growers and different academic experts. La Rioja Alta studied and analysed the soil, grapes and weather of many different subzones, finally selecting Anguix (Burgos) as the ideal location. In 1991 they planted the vineyard and chose to name this new venture Bodegas Áster, after a Spanish flower that blooms at harvest.
Áster was founded in 2000 with a timeless, elegant appearance. The manor house, open to wine tourism, fits naturally on the premises of the winery, which features an outstanding vinification hall, an open plan building overlooking the vineyard, and a point of visual attraction, several rows of trapdoors from the stainless steel tanks.
This is where the sorting table is set up during the harvest, where all the clusters pass before starting their journey through a winery that is equipped with the latest technology. The barrel hall can hold up to 4,000 barrels.
Currently, there are 2,700 French oak barrels in this hall. They are used to age the Áster Finca El Otero and Áster Crianza wines before they are bottled and acquire roundness in the bottle cages.