A good wine doesn’t start in the glass. It begins much earlier — in the way we care for the land and respect every detail that makes it unique. This is the story of where we come from and how we understand wine. Because everything we do, we do with love — for you.
Since 1974, LAN has existed to remind us that there is always a moment to say yes. Yes to authenticity, yes to doing what you believe in, yes to living life the way you choose. Yes to making dreams come true.
A group of friends, entrepreneurs from the Basque Country, explored La Rioja, driven by their passion for wine. When they reached Fuenmayor, they fell in love at first sight. The landscape, the friendship and hospitality of Rioja, the vineyards, the wine and the gastronomy did the rest. They all said “Yes.” And it all started from there.
That’s how LAN was born, with the calling to be shared, bringing the land of Rioja to every corner of the world. Doing so by going against the tide, exploring with curiosity new ways of making wine, free from rules and prejudice. Driven solely by the desire to create wines that are enjoyed, stir the emotions, and are remembered.
50 years later, LAN is an international benchmark of quality. Recognised by wine critics and the wider industry, and above all, by those who really matter to us: the people who choose LAN.
Good grapes, good wines. That’s still the secret. And also, being curious and keeping our eyes open, always thirsty to discover new landscapes to capture in our bottles.
We work with our own vineyards, as well as those of growers with whom we have shared convictions for decades in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, the two most prestigious sub-zones of the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin. Vineyards full of life, framed in a landscape that is a sea of vineyards and sheltered by the Sierra de Cantabria Mountain, where land, climate and time write their own legends.
Here, Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano, and Garnacha vines—some more than 60 years old—sink their roots into stony soils, defying the river and the climate, to yield fruit with a character that cannot be explained, only felt.
We take care of the vineyard like someone who takes care of something that transcends generations. With respect and patience, in the certainty that winemaking begins long before entering the winery. From pruning to green harvesting*, from hand-harvesting to berry-by-berry selection, everything reflects our way of understanding wine: trusting in nature and accompanying it without ever imposing.
LAN was born to challenge conventions, to innovate in barrel ageing, and to look at Rioja with a mix of pride and curiosity. To dare to put forward wines faithful to their origin, but expressed in a new language—closer freer and more direct.
We continue to defend the same way of doing things today: simply brave. Because when you choose your own path, the result not only tastes different, it feels different.
When some bunches of grapes are removed before the harvest so that the remaining ones are riper and of better quality.
Barrel Cellar
Ageing a wine isn’t about whipping it into shape. Wines should be aged in harmony with their character; giving them the time they need to express themselves in an unhurried way. That’s why our barrel room is a stage where each vineyard, variety and plot finds a way to tell its own story.
Here, precision is translated with confidence, through a unique system, the only one in the world, a way of stacking*, racking* and air conditioning* that allows us to work with a wide range of oaks.
French, American, Russian, Hungarian, Pyrenean and mixed oak
From forests in central France such as Allier, Tronçais, Jupille and Blois, provides great aromatic complexity: soft, spicy notes of clove and cinnamon, hints of menthol, smoke and cocoa. High in tannins, creating structure on the palate.
From Ohio, Missouri and the Appalachian forests, adds intense aromas of vanilla, coconut and aromatic herbs.
From the Caucasus and the Republic of Adygea, particularly respects the grape’s primary aromas, with nuances similar to French oak, but with less intensity.
Very close to the nuances of French oak, adds slightly more dairy touches to the Tempranillo variety.
Our most recent addition, adds high levels of polyphenols and a broad aromatic spectrum: vanilla, caramel, almond, resinous notes and clove.
And in the search for something different, we’ve gone even further. We were pioneers in the use of hybrid barrels – American oak staves and French oak heads – that combine the elegant nuances of vanilla and coconut with spiced, resinous notes and touches of cocoa. A blend that gives LAN Crianza, LAN Reserva and LAN Gran Reserva an unmistakable personality all of their own.
Here, everything follows its own rhythm.
The sound of patience fills the air.
Because while a great wine may begin in the soil, it’s perfected in the silence of the barrels.
The way of placing the barrels on top of each other in the cellar, optimiszing the space and ensuring that each wine is preserved in the best conditions.
Moving the wine from one barrel to another to clean it of natural sediments and let it breathe a little while it evolves.
Temperature and humidity control in the room where the wines are aged, so that the ageing is stable and respects the character of the wine.
is : it’s : moment
Yes to taking care of what matters
At LAN, we know that every decision in the vineyard leaves its mark. That’s why we choose a way of working that respects the essentials. Actively practicing sustainable viticulture to achieve balanced viticulture, which enhances the vines’ self-defences and favours a microclimate in our vineyard that provides the bunches with the right levels of light and good aeration.
*In doing so, we reduce erosion, improve soil fertility, and minimise environmental impacts through mainly manual practices. We carefully manage water use and encourage flora and fauna to maintain balance in our vineyard. That’s why we don’t use any chemical herbicides.
Manual, patient and conscious viticulture.
Before the vine awakens, winter pruning is used to reshape the vine, using traditional criteria that respect its natural rhythm. We care for it by leaving protective wood and applying healing ointments to the cuts to prevent disease. Throughout the year, each task – bud rubbing, suckering, pinching-back, leaf stripping, green harvesting – is carried out by hand. And when it comes time to harvest, we pick bunch by bunch. Each one harvested separately, by parcel and by variety. Without haste. Without any shortcuts.
We combine traditional observation with the most accurate technology.
In addition to our weather station, we use aerial imagery and humidity control points in the vineyard.
Just over five years ago, we implemented 15 detailed monitoring points that allow us to record accurate observations of the vineyard and produce historical data on the estate, differentiated by plots. This detailed information allows us to make timely decisions throughout the entire vegetative cycle, when to prune, cut back the canopy, fertilise etc. It also allows us to manage the water in the vineyard, aiming to induce a slight water stress, which makes the plant more resistant and concentrates its energy on the most important factor: the quality of the fruit.
Manual, patient and conscious viticulture.
In addition to our weather station, we have aerial imagery and humidity monitoring points in the vineyard.
More than five years ago, we implemented 15 detailed monitoring points that allow us to observe the vineyard with precision and compile a historical record of our estate, broken down by plot. This detailed knowledge enables us to make timely decisions throughout the entire growing cycle, such as pruning, green manure management, fertilization, and the judicious use of water in the vineyard. Our goal is to create a slight water stress, which makes the vines more resilient and allows them to focus their energy on what’s essential: fruit quality.
Minimum intervention
We don’´t use herbicides. Only traditional tillage and small tools. We enrich the soil, if necessary, to compensate for the extraction of nutrients, with organic fertiliser and pruning cuttings from our own vines.
Disease and pest prevention
To avoid grapevine moth damage, we use a natural system that releases pheromones. This method means that the insects cannot find each other, and thus we reduce their presence without chemicals. We combat the yellow spider-mite using natural predators that live in the vineyard: green lacewings, ladybirds and other mites and insects. And egg parasitoid bugs present in our vineyards help to combat leafhoppers.
Biodiversity
For us, every tiny living creature in our vineyard is part of a greater balance. Preserving flora and fauna that helps us in our viticultural work is only part of this natural ecosystem. That’s why we’ve respected natural corridors and created additional spaces to protect small mammals, reptiles and even amphibians. We take the presence of wild ground cover plants in between our rows of vines as a sign of the balance we encourage.
The vineyard is a magical place brimming with life. A landscape of biodiversity, with birds, reptiles, small mammals and flora all living together and reminding us that the vineyard is not a monoculture: it’s an ecosystem.
For us, taking care of the land is not merely an obligation. It is a way of looking at it with the patience of those who know that everything important happens at its own pace. It’s a way of saying yes to everything that comes next.
Bud selection, the process of removing all the young shoots except the ones in the ideal locations, so that the plant grows strongly and in an ordered manner.
Removal of the secondary shoots that appear between the main stem and the leaves, so that the vine concentrates its energy on the bunches of grapes.
Trimming the shoots (young branches), removing the tips to control their growth and favour grape ripening.
Removing some leaves around the bunches so that they receive more sunshine and air, keeping them healthy.
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