Grupo Vinícola Marqués de Vargas joins Araex

By James Bayley

Published: 11 July, 2024

The wineries of Grupo Vinícola Marqués de Vargas have joined Spanish Fine Wines, part of the Araex Grands SFW group, to boost the international growth of its brands.

Pazo San Mauro (DO Rías Baixas), Conde San Cristóbal (DO Ribera del Duero) and Marqués de Vargas (DOC Rioja) are now part of the firm founded by Javier Ruiz de Galarreta in 1993, enhancing the portfolio of this leading group of independent wineries.

Galarreta founded Araex in Vitoria in 1993, creating a management model focused on brand creation and internationalisation. In 2001, he expanded to other Spanish designations of origin with the creation of Spanish Fine Wines, incorporating wineries from regions like Ribera del Duero, Rueda and La Mancha. Today, Araex Grands Spanish Fine Wines includes 17 wineries from 14 protected designations of origin across Spain. Since 2017, it has been the exclusive wine supplier for Iberia Inflight Business class on long-haul flights.

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The alliance aims to increase the value of Spanish wine globally, with the inclusion of these three notable wineries. The partnership will enable these wineries to benefit from Araex Grands’ extensive network of distributors and partners worldwide, enhancing its market relevance and reach.

Araex Grands is also recognised for its commitment to sustainability and innovation. The group has trained over 5,000 industry professionals worldwide through the Spanish Fine Wines Institute, established in 2014. Galarreta has received numerous accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from Meininger in 2024 for his contributions to quality Spanish wine.

Meanwhile, Marqués de Vargas represents a family lineage dedicated to excellent Rioja wines since 1840. The group's philosophy centres on producing wines of distinctive estates, reflecting the unique characteristics of each terroir. With Pazo San Mauro in DO Rías Baixas, Conde San Cristóbal in DO Ribera del Duero and Marqués de Vargas in DOC Rioja, the group combines historical vineyards with modern winemaking techniques to create wines with personality and typicity.

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