Antonio Díez Martín
Spain
Antonio and his family will rise from the ashes with your support... to produce even more delicious wines from Ribera del Duero
- Meet Antonio Díez Martín... a passionate artisan winemaker from Ribera del Duero, Spain. His century old family vineyards produce outstanding wines that have attracted scores of accolades and awards over the years.
- In 2013, lightning struck Antonio's winery and burned it to the ground. Buildings, equipment and 210,000 litres of irreplaceable wine – all lost. His whole livelihood went up in smoke.
- With Angel support, we can help this ridiculously talented winemaker get back on his feet to start making exclusive new vintages just for you.
Vineyard Location
Antonio Díez Martín's Story
Antonio Díez Martín's Story
"I studied Agricultural Engineering in Palencia, and then did a Master's degree in Viticulture and Oenology. My mother inherited the family home and land in Aranda de Duero, and we wanted the land to be used as it had been used for generations. Over the centuries it was planted as a vineyard, but after the war all the vines were pulled up to plant sugar beet. As a family we decided to open a winery, and I trained to be able to run and manage the vineyard, oenology was the next logical step.
I love wine, I love the vineyard and I love the bodega. What I enjoy most about my job is seeing the same love and passion in other people when they taste our wines. It is a pleasure to see how any event can become a party, how the atmosphere changes and how we can participate in some way in the important moments in the lives of the people who buy our wines.
The vineyard is an 87 hectare plot around the winery. We don't buy wine or grapes from any other growers so we can control the quality of the wine 100%.This ensures that the wine is always consistent and of good quality. Within 20 minutes of picking, the grapes are selected and unloaded into the vats in the winery.
Each product line is made from grapes from specific rows and areas of the vineyard, and when you take a sip of wine you get the same taste and feeling as you would if you were strolling through the vines eating the grapes.
We work very hard to ensure that you can taste the fruit, the soil… And the love we put into the wines. We believe that our wines are great value for money given the quality we produce. They transport you to the Ribera del Duero where you can feel the altitude, the summer on the Spanish plains with hot days and cool nights. You can feel how the vines and men have evolved together in deepest Spain.
This job brings plenty of joy, mostly from hearing that our customers love the wine. Also, many prizes in international competitions and people visiting us. Seeing our dreams come true, enjoying what we do and fighting for what we believe in, for our values, and transmit all of this to those that come after us.
Unfortunately, there is always something that goes wrong and we had a bad blow in 2013 when the production building was hit by lightning and burnt down! I think that those were the worst moments of my life…standing watching 23 years of dreams, investment and passion burn to the ground – while the firemen rushed off to get more water!
However this led to what I believe to be one of our greatest achievements – getting a new building functioning for the next harvest in 2014. It was a chaotic, stressful and very emotional year, but we did it. One year and one month after the fire, the first grapes entered our new building.
When we planted the first vines, and the first harvest which was a mere 7000 kilos. Opening the bodega in our own name in 2000, it was such a proud moment to honour generations of the family. Our tenth birthday celebration, when we had a big party and celebrated with grandparents, parents, children and friends. After the fire there were many bad moments, but some of the most memorable were support, friendship and help we received from so many different bodegas and people in the area!
The inauguration of the bodega in 2014 was like being reborn.
My dream future is that we sell all of the wine to people who appreciate it. We create a "circle of friends" who are waiting every year for the new vintages and who know that they are always welcome to visit us and the vineyard! We would like them to know our culture, and one of the least known areas of Spain, the Ribera del Duero.
We've been very grateful for many awards and high point scoring in the Wine Enthusiast over the years for the full range. But for us the best "awards" are more simple and more important – seeing empty bottles on the table, how an ordinary meeting becomes a celebration around a bottle of Martin Berdugo which inspires us all to create a better world."
Antonio's Activity
Dear Angels,
I hope that you are all keeping safe and well. This weeks recipe is a traditional basque recipe using salt cod. It is a firm favorite in my family, and pairs perfectly with a dry rosé or a white verdejo wine. I hope you enjoy it. Salud - and keep safe. Antonio
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(latest reply 5 years ago)
Nick Stubbs
Hi Antonio, keep the recipes coming - this one looks lovely. A great shame we do not have any of your white to wash it down, but I'm sure we will find something suitable!! Keep safe and well. Nick & Michele
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5 years ago
Antonio Diez Martin
Winemaker
You are very welcome, I hope that you managed to make the recipe... cheers
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5 years ago
If you have five minutes have a little look at this little bio about the winery and Antonio which includes some great pictures of the Vineyards.
http://www.riberaruedawine.com/martin-berdugo-ribera-del-duero/
4.5 ❤️
An excellent Ribera del Duero. Concentrated fruit flavours with vanilla and a touch of spice. Highly enjoyed with sirloin steak.
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(latest reply 2 months ago)
Phil Keighley
Angel
Such a shame that this winemaker parted company with Naked long ago, although frankly I don’t blame him.
Ridiculously difficult to post this review (again).
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2 months ago
Simon (and Penny) Fisher
I love that you have retained the traditional rating system Phil!! Well done for keeping the tradition alive!!!!
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2 months ago
Probably my favourite of all wines we enjoyed over Christmas (not that it’s over yet, I’m going full 12 days) - I thought I might have missed its best as I realised it was marked to drink by 2020, but it was fabulous.
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(latest reply 2 years ago)
Antonio Diez Martin
Winemaker
Dear Lucy, Thank you for your comments. These are the reason to keep going, enjoying what we do. The effort is enormous and we love it when we find sensitive people who appreciate our wines.
For us it is an honor to participate at your table on these special Christmas days.
Thank you very much for opening your doors to us.
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2 years ago
Last bottle of a wine, long gone from Nakeds shelves, that is drinking well but still got plenty of life in it.
Tannins have blended in, there's still some acidty but not dominant. Complex dark fruits with baccknotes of vanilla and a touch of spice.
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(latest reply 2 years ago)
Antonio Diez Martin
Winemaker
Hi Steve, long gone from Naked shelves, but still available elsewhere... in it's new clothes!! I am glad you enjoyed it.. and that it is still holding up well. Salud
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2 years ago
"Bundles of sun dried grapes" is definitely my header to this wine!
I had the 2010 and 2015 vintages, but chose the 2010 this evening for my birthday tipple and it's really been a great choice.
On the nose there's loads of very ripe bramble fruit and sweet condensed milk/fudge.
It was a little dry upon opening, but once the wine has had a little aeration, it smoothes out and is packed full of cherries, plump blackberries, plum and yet still has a dry edge (back of teeth) which leans towards oaky barrels.
It has an incredibly long finish of berry trifle with the vanilla cream and custard.
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View all 8 replies…
(latest reply 4 months ago)
Ray Bowen
Angel
Sounds like it’s time to drink my last one of this vintage
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3 years ago
Antonio Diez Martin
Winemaker
A very belated happy birthday!!! This wine has still got life in it - I opened the 2010 last week, and am only sorry that I didn't keep a cellar full!!! Cheers guys!! Saludos from Spain. Antonio
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2 years ago
As others have said this is a big hitter and exceptionally smooth now it’s getting on a bit although I think the bottle could have lasted a few more years. The cork was in good condition (unlike other reviewers) although there was lots of sediment so be prepared to suck the last glass through your teeth ( much more fun than sieving).
We can’t buy your wines here now but I have seen them in Spanish supermarkets so I will try to buy future vintages the next time we travel through Spain.
September 2021
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(latest reply 2 years ago)
Antonio Diez Martin
Winemaker
Hi Ray, good to hear from you. I don't check the site all that often! I hope that you manage to get more wine - and if you are ever in the Ribera del Duero look us up!! Salud
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2 years ago
I know you don't check in very often Antonio but I thought I'd share the food we enjoyed with your wine this evening.
I will post my review at the end of the bottle.
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(latest reply 2 years ago)
Abby Nanson
Angel
Ray - we opened ours tonight. No way near as fancy! Is that lamb cooked in a fire pit?
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3 years ago
Ray Bowen
Angel
It was built as a pizza oven Abby but they’re a bit of a faff for just the two of us so we tend to use it for long and slow cooking of Lamb, pork and stews. They taste so different when cooked at 400°C for four hours in a wood oven. I’m going to try a Focaccia bread the next time I fire it up before the meat goes in.
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3 years ago
Antonio Diez Martin
Winemaker
Mouth watering Ray! I hope you had a great evening!
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2 years ago
Over the years I've never really been overly fond of Spanish wines, this however was very nice and emminently drinkable. Not particularly cheap to buy but I would say reasonably good value at the price.
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(latest reply 2 years ago)
Antonio Diez Martin
Winemaker
Hi Michael, I am very happy you liked the wine! Cheers
