The best of 2020 at Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine

In retrospect and despite the formidable challenges involved, 2020 turned out to be a very rewarding year. The achievements of recent months are a boost to tackle 2021 with optimism.

The pandemic seems to be the dominant theme of 2020, but looking back, we feel really proud of the all work we did last year and the awards we have received in recent months. These are the most important:

Experiences and virtual tastings. Holding online gatherings was the natural course of action for us to stay close to our customers and friends, and to wine enthusiasts seeking to learn about our wines and about the history of our estate. The advantage of reaching such a wide and diverse audience, with a variety of hobbies and interests, led us to create a wide-ranging virtual programme. Beyond the tastings, featuring one to three wines from our range, we held sessions on literature and wine, art and wine, and two wine tastings: one with cheese and a more exotic one with chocolate.

As soon as we were able to open the doors of Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine we launched a set of new experiences to show the rich diversity of our estate. Convivir con el arte («Living with art») presented a tour of the painting collection of Italian artists, masters of the Flemish Renaissance, engravings by Miró and the antique furniture and oriental rugs housed in the monastery, while the mycological experience provided an opportunity to enjoy an autumn day searching and tasting mushrooms. Additionally, during those months, our chef Marc Segarra created a special seasonal menu with a selection of mushroom dishes in the Vinoteca restaurant.

The launch of Calicata. The winery’s new terroir bar is one of the most carefully planned projects of 2020. Beyond the symbolic quality of creating something new in spite of the pressures of the pandemic, Calicata also provided a safe and relaxing open-air space. As we described in the blog, Calicata comes close to the perfect outdoor terrace: a relaxing space surrounded by nature where you can enjoy simple but refined local dishes prepared by Marc Segarra and paired with the wines of Abadía Retuerta and other selected producers.

Being a member of Leading Hotels of the World. It is one of the world’s most exclusive hotel collections in the world. It comprises 400 independent and luxury hotels in 80 countries that mirror the essence of the area where they are located. They stand out for their exacting standards of excellence and originality, and for their unique attention to detail. Leading Hotels (LHW) was founded in 1928 by a group of European hoteliers eager to provide the most unforgettable travel experiences. Headquartered in New York, LHW maintains offices in more than 20 major cities around the world.

Our first initiative is a joint stay offer in partnership with São Lourenço do Barrocal in Monsaraz (Alentejo). This five-star hotel, also a member of LHW, has its own winery and farm and shares our passion for wine and local produce.

New virtual tour. Thanks to modern technology, anyone can explore virtually every corner of the abbey and the cellar. As a result of Abadía RetuertaLeDomaine’s commitment to innovation, a pioneering augmented reality experience was launched in 2020; a virtual tour that acts as a prelude to what guests will discover and enjoy in our estate. In addition, this tool enables users to make a reservation or book the full range of experiences. For our general manager, Enrique Valero, «we are heirs to a cultural, historical and natural legacy, and this is a way of sharing it and bringing it closer to everyone». You can start your virtual tour here.

We renew our Michelin star in Refectorio and earn the new «green star». It was one of the best news we received last year. Headed by chef Marc Segarra, restaurant Refectorio renewed its Michelin star, held without interruption since 2014. It also earned the new «green star». This award, which was introduced in the 2020 edition of the Michelin guide and is represented by a five-leaf green clover symbol, recognises environmentally friendly practices. Only 21 restaurants in Spain obtained this distinction, among which are icons such as the three-starred Azurmendi and Aponiente restaurants. Right from the start, Refectorio has been committed to using local produce, a concept that was significantly strengthened with the creation of our own vegetable garden.

We are a Family Responsible Company. We only heard of our latest achievement a few days ago and it makes us particularly happy. The EFR international certification is part of the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) which seeks to enhance the personal and professional development of persons, to balance personal, family and working life, equal opportunities and the involvement of the most disadvantaged. It is awarded in different sectors: businesses, educational centres, public entities… Furthermore, we have been rated «excellent», the highest grade granted in the audit.

Renewal of the WfCP certification. The Wineries for Climate Protection seal, awarded by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV), is closely linked to one of the cornerstones of our corporate mission: environmental sustainability. The WfCP audit, the only one of its kind in the wine sector, evaluates four key elements, which are among the priorities of Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine. These are the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, water management, waste reduction and energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energies.

Excellent scores for our wines. Wine critics have greatly praised the new 2016 vintage —in our opinion, one of the best of the decade at Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine. Pago Garduña Syrah earned some of the highest scores (96 points from James Suckling, 94 from Wine Spectator, 94 from Guía Peñín and 93 from The Wine Advocate) along with Pago Negralada Tempranillo (95 points from Guía Peñín and 94 points from The Wine Advocate). Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial 2016 also had excellent scores, with 96 points from James Suckling and 93 from The Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator and Guía Peñín. This last publication also rated Selección Especial 2017 (93 points) and the white Le Domaine 2019 (93 points).