Abel Mendoza Monge

Abel Mendoza Monge is a small winery in San Vicente de la Soncierra. The husband and wife team - Abel Mendoza (viticulture) and Maite Fernandez (oenology) - are responsible for some of Rioja's most curious, rare and sought-after wines, partly because they receive little attention in wine guides and the media. 

It could be said that they perfectly embody the Burgundian concept of the vintner, who works selflessly on his vines and transforms them into individual wines resulting from the interpretation of different terroirs.

Founded in 1988, the company has 17 hectares of vineyards planted on various plots of land in San Vicente and the surrounding municipalities, which are cultivated organically. The underlying brand associated with the first bodega wine, a young red, is Jarrarte, although most of the wines are now sold under the Abel Mendoza label.

Given the limited distribution of vineyards, it is worth noting the great work done with white wines. Single-varietal wines are made from Viura, Malvasia, Garnacha, Torrontes, Tempranillo Blanco and blends of all varieties. They are all fermented and aged for around five months in French oak.