Located in the beautiful medieval hilltop village of Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa, Casa Juan is a small, family-owned winery that consistently produces aged Riojas that are honest, detailed and soulful expressions of the region. They are also some of most sensibly priced wines in the region, with the quality far outpacing their modest prices, which is why Casa Juan remains one of the most popular wineries we import directly, with a loyal and growing fanbase. The winery's origins trace back to the first half of the 20th century, when it occupied a historic underground cellar built beneath what had once been Laguardia's old flour mill. Its modern chapter, however, began in 1995 when Ángel Escudero and his wife, Araceli Sanchís, purchased and restored the historic winery while carefully preserving its traditional character. Today, Angel, along with his siblings (CArmen, SAntiago, JUlio and ANgel = Casa Juan) run the simple yet functional bodega, along with slightly under 30 hectares of vineyards they help to farm primarily themselves with no herbicides or pesticides. The wines typically contain mostly Tempranillo, with up to 15% Mazuelo. Most of the vineyards are mature, averaging around 45 years old, with some vines up to 100 years old. Primary fermentation occurs always with indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks, where the wines are eventually racked to barrels, which are used up to seven years and consist primarily of American oak.