WORKING TOGETHER SINCE 1953
El Arca de Noé: the oldest Cooperative Winery in La Rioja
Discover a story about cooperation and overcoming adversity in the heart of La Rioja Alta through our wines.
In May 1953, a small group of winegrowers from San Asensio in La Rioja Alta promoted the creation of a Cooperative Winery, fuelled by the conviction that only by working together could they tackle the adversities that had driven the agricultural sector to ruin at that time.
16 SIGNATURES
Many considered them mad and reckless. But far from being daunted by the constant criticism, their entrepreneurial spirit was kindled and they obtained 16 signatures to support the cooperative's registration in the Official National Register of Agricultural Cooperatives, which was approved on 22 December 1953.
That is how El Arca de Noé, La Rioja's the oldest Cooperative Winery, was born.
THE FIRST VINTAGE
The beginnings were tough. The lack of resources was aggravated by the arduous task of getting all the members to agree on the operation of the cooperative. However, they overcame the obstacles through hard work, tenacity and great ingenuity, laying the foundations of the El Arca de Noé philosophy: "Working together to overcome adversity day by day".
The first vintage was harvested by the traditional method in 1954, using the small cellars (wineries) of the members and other residents in San Asensio, with grapes contributed by the first one hundred members. Wines made from our first vintage were launched on the market in 1955 and sold through stores opened in Burgos, Logroño and Miranda de Ebro, for all customers seeking the coveted "Claret wine" from San Asensio. No wonder our town is known as the "Cradle of Claret Wine".
THE FIRST WINERY
Two years after the first harvest, the Cooperative had sufficient resources to acquire and equip our first winery, “Bodega Carcedo”, whose only legacy are wonderful memories and its 4 drafts (now buried), whose names are now history: "Baco" (Bacchus), "Apóstoles" (Apostles), "Salto" (The Leap) and "Infierno" (Hell).
THE NEW WINERY.
EL ARCA
The El Arca de Noé family grew and gained importance in the wine sector year on year, enabling the construction of a new winery in 1980 in the Barrio de Las Cuevas district where it all began.
Since then, our facilities have been gradually extended and modernized, incorporating state-of-the-art innovations to ensure that the quality and character of our wines is the result of combining the wisdom of tradition, a privileged terroir, 780 hectares of own vineyard and precise winemaking.
WE KEEP WRITING OUR HISTORY
Today 274 members from 4 different generations, past, present and future, work side by side in El Arca de Noé, upholding the spirit that has forged the character of our wines over all these years.
For that reason, we would like to invite you to discover El Arca de Noé through our wines and visit our winery in San Asensio, because we want to continue writing our history with you.
