Our History & Heritage
The Señorio de Arínzano estate has been recognised for the excellence of its vineyards since the 11th century, when the noble Sanch Fortunones de Arínzano first produced wines on the property.
In the 16th Century, Lope de Eulate, a noble and the advisor to the King Juan de Labrit, chose the estate as the ideal site for the construction of his palace. By the 18th century, the property had passed to the hands of the Marquess of Zabalegui, who ordered the construction of a rural mansion where he could enjoy the natural beauty of the estate.
At the turn of the 19th century his children constructed a small chapel dedicated to Sain Martin de Tours, the patron saint of winemaking. This chapel stood as a final monument to the noble history of this viticultural estate as the pillars of Spanish nobility fell apart and the estate fell into disuse.
In 1988, the Chivite family rediscovered the estate. Though nearly two centuries had passed since grape vines had graced the valley’s gentle slopes, careful scientific analysis of the climates and soils confirmed what centuries of nobles had learned from experience: The Arínzano estate had a singular microclimate perfectly suited for the production of the highest quality wines. The Chivite family carefully replanted the estate, matching each grape vierietal with the parcels best suited for their cultivation. They rehabilitated the historic buildings which paid homage to winemaking of centuries past, and constructed a winery capable of continuing this tradition into the future.
At the turn of the 21st century, their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain inaugurated the Arínzano winery, and celebrated the rebirth of a noble tradition more than a thousand years old.