C.S.R.

Today Siglo continues this tradition, the result of the heritage of wine-growing families, in collaboration with Asprodema, an NGO that promotes people with intellectual disabilities, which covers the bottles with the Saco by hand.
The sack is the most characteristic of Siglo and is, perhaps, one of the reasons why our brand has become an indisputable reference in Rioja, since we can all easily remember “the wine in the sack”.
The bag was born from a need: to better preserve wine. And with that maxim we continue making the bag.
Although our wine is made in Rioja, it is transported to dozens of countries around the world and we all want to ensure that the wine arrives as it was conceived, without any alteration due to changes in temperature during transit and storage.
The bag protects the wine from changes in temperature and light, to emulate the conditions of its aging in the winery, where we maintain a constant temperature of 12 degrees during all seasons of the year and also a dim, indirect light so that the wine sleep with the darkness necessary for your correct evolution.
The process of making the bag is long and tedious since we import the jute from its origin, in India, and it is transported in boats for days until we receive it.
Once here we check the quality of the jute and select the parts that we send to the NGO Asprodema.
They cut and sew by hand the fabric that will wrap the bottle and leave a space so we can put the bottle.
It is now when the wine returns to the winery to be labeled on the jute and we can send it to its destination.
Choosing Asprodema to carry out this careful manual production process responds to our social commitment to people.
We are a company committed to society, to people, and that is why we always contribute our grain of sand to different causes.
An example of this is working with Asprodema, which for us is an example of perseverance and improvement. It is about choosing to do good for social empowerment and we are clear that it is a work that moves us.

It seems that with the arrival of spring, the importance of our land becomes more notable. On these dates, the fields are filled with color and vitality, as if they were a lure for those who go on a trip or decide to get lost in nature for a while. And it is then, when we realize how important it can be to take care of our environment.
At Bodegas Manzanos, we are very aware of the importance that our actions have on the environment and, consequently, on our raw materials. So much so, that we even want to make it visible on our shield with the slogan “In this abundant land we live.” That is why we wanted to dedicate our blog entry to telling you what practices we carry out to take care of this precious asset.
From our beginnings until today, Bodegas Manzanos has wanted to persevere sustainability as a fundamental principle. This is confirmed by the “Best Of The Wine Tourism” recognition in the Sustainable Practices category awarded by the Network of Large Capitals of Wine in 2007 and which serves as recognition of quality and excellence in wine tourism.
From our vineyards we start with the idea of ​​nature conservation, that is why we are committed to integrated viticulture. We achieve a reduction in the use of products, working the vineyards with a vegetal cover that also favors the floral development and auxiliary fauna in our lands.
In waste disposal we are also meticulous, maintaining a balance with sustainability. Without going any further, the stem that is extracted from the bunches and which, apparently, is useless, is destined for cattle grazing. The same happens with the waste water generated in the winery. In our case, once this has been filtered in our treatment plant, it is used to water the vines closest to the winery.
One of the most confusing things, when it comes to sustainability, is the purpose given to the packaging once it has been used. Therefore, to continue with a line of respect for the environment, we have signed a contract with an external waste collection and management company for the removal of the glass that we generate after bottling. Likewise, we have agreements with glass companies that, from time to time, come to our warehouse to remove the pallets and plastic separators in which the bottles that we have previously purchased from them come. And this is why we also have a press that helps us reduce the volume of cardboard and plastic generated in bottling. With this, we intend to facilitate transportation for subsequent recycling to the intermediaries who carry it out.
Our workers are also aware of the exercise of these healthy practices. It should be noted that the groups of workers who come to work in the fields always fill the available places on trips to the vineyards. To this, we must add that the fact that the winery and our vineyards are close to each other considerably reduces the use of transportation. Furthermore, we have to emphasize that our tractors are small in size, adapted to vineyard cultivation, so the fuel consumption and pollution they generate are lower than that of other vehicles.

Bodegas Manzanos announces a pioneering collaboration with the Tierra Rapaz Foundation in the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Repopulation Project in the vineyards of Azagra (Navarra).

In a joint effort to promote sustainable agriculture and balance local ecosystems, Bodegas Manzanos and the Tierra Rapaz Foundation in collaboration with the University of Navarra have launched the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Repopulation Project in the vineyards of Azagra (Navarra). The main objective of this project is the reintroduction of the Barn Owl as a biocontroller of agricultural pests, thus reducing the dependence on pesticides and promoting biodiversity.

Project Motivation: In the last decades, the way of farming has changed drastically due to globalization, technological advancement and population growth. Crops are now more extensive and require modern, industrialized machinery. This change has led to the disappearance of small tool houses, essential for barn owl farming, and their replacement by enclosed hangars for storing large machines.
In addition, agricultural pest control has been based on large-scale spraying with pesticides, affecting both wildlife and human health. Historically, populations of micromammals, such as the Mediterranean vole (Microtus duodecimcostatus) and the vole (Microtus arvalis), were naturally controlled by predators such as the barn owl and the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). However, human action has caused a significant decline in the populations of these predators due to the destruction of their habitats and the use of poisons.

This decline has generated ecological imbalances, such as the increase in vole populations in the Ribera de Navarra, causing significant damage to crops and economic losses. The decrease in natural predators has exacerbated these problems, highlighting the need for sustainable pest control methods.

Project Goal: The objective is to repopulate the barn owl in the vineyards of Azagra, Navarra, to act as a biocontroller of micromammals that may become agricultural pests, thus reducing the use of pesticides. It is hoped to extend the repopulation to other areas of Navarra and La Rioja Baja in the coming years. This approach, promoted by entities such as INTIA and GANASA of the Government of Navarra, has been successful in controlling voles by installing nest boxes for natural predators.

Project Summary: The project will focus on the release of barn owls bred in captivity using the “hacking” method. This method has proven to be effective in other places in the Peninsula, although its impact on the adaptation of birds reared “ex situ” has not been scientifically studied. The project seeks to establish a rearing protocol that maximizes the survival of the released owls in their new environment.

This project represents a significant effort towards a more sustainable agriculture and reaffirms the commitment of Bodegas Manzanos and the Tierra Rapaz Foundation to the protection of the environment and the preservation of native species. We are excited to be part of this valuable collaboration and are confident that it will bring lasting benefits to the region and its ecosystems.

Join us on this path to sustainability and biodiversity!

This is why Peñaclara has been running the “Peñaclara in pink” campaign for years, donating 2 cents for each pink bottle it sells, to contribute to research into this disease.