Spanish-Owned Winery is Pushing Boundaries in Washington State
Jesús Martínez Bujanda, 5th Generation CEO of Valdemar Family, Named a top 40 under 40 tastemaker by Wine Enthusiast
Walla Walla, WA, 08/18/2021 – Wine Enthusiast‘s 40 Under 40 Tastemakers list recognizes winemakers, brewers, beverage directors, grape growers, and other movers and shakers who are changing today’s beverage industry. According to the magazine, “These industry innovators challenge preconceptions, misconceptions and the status quo.” Jesús Martínez Bujanda, 5th generation owner and CEO of the Valdemar Family (valdemar.es) in Rioja, Spain, fits that description to a tee.
The Valdemar Family has been making wines in Rioja, Spain for 130 years. In 2019, under Martínez Bujanda’s stewardship, they opened Valdemar Estates (valdemarestates.com) in Walla Walla, Washington. In 2017, Bodegas Valdemar became the first winery with a 100% accessible and inclusive tourism experience, and in 2021, Valdemar Estates followed suit, making it the first – and only – winery in the United States to do so. “Everyone should have access to a great wine tasting experience,” Martínez Bujanda says.
“Valdemar’s balconies, water features and high-end Spanish tapas raise the bar for visitor experience in Washington.”
The Valdemar Estates Winery is a state-of-the-art, 24,555 square-foot facility, and is host to a tasting room and restaurant that features outdoor seating with a reflection pool and 58 foot-long waterfall wall. The building also houses a wine production space with the only indoor crush pad in the area.
“We are innovative, passionate, and bold,”
Jesús’s long-term vision for Valdemar Estates is to see it become the global reference point for Washington State wine, and to see the winery become a well-regarded part of the community while improving the collective quality and reputation of Washington State winemaking.
Endeavoring to bridge Old World and New World winemaking traditions, the family has built a partnership with the Washington State University Viticulture and Enology Program. Spanish varietals from the family’s vineyards in Spain have been brought to WSU to be studied, with the hope that they can be made available to the public for planting. This partnership with WSU will soon foster an intern exchange program, where students from Spain will work in U.S. vineyards and wineries and vice versa. This partnership will be an incredible opportunity for both Rioja and the Walla Walla Valley for many years.
“We’ve made wine in Spain for the past five generations, and we plan to make wine in Walla Walla for five generations to come.” – Jesús Martínez Bujanda
Recently, Valdemar Estates began exporting its American-made wine to Europe using Valdemar’s existing distribution network which the family hopes will help to increase recognition of Washington State in those markets.