Convento Oreja was born from a group of friends who shared a passion for wine & desired to work the land in Ribera del Cuero and created their own style of wines. ‘Convento’ celebrates a very old Cistercian convent, abandoned for more than four centuries, which is located in the township of Langayo. ‘Oreja’ (ear) comes from the fact that the convent is located on an oxbow - an ear-shaped bend - in the Duero river.
The winery is located near the town of Peñafiel. Owner Antonio Vaquero lives and works in Madrid, but hails from Peñafiel, where he has managed family vineyards. Convento Oreja does not own winemaking facilities but supervises the vinification in a modern facility in Peñafiel. Once the wine has been fermented/macerated, the resulting juice is barrel aged.
The vines are 10-15 years old, except for a small plot of 40+ year old vines. The wines of Convento de Oreja are all 100% Tempranillo. Currently they own 10 hectares and manage an additional 12. Soils are nutrient poor alluvial soils with a mix of sand and gravel. Deeper down the soil is clay and limestone, good for water retention. They make both Joven and Crianza style wines.
