About one-third of the vineyards are pruned en vaso—a traditional bush-vine training method. These older plantings, located at higher elevations, were among the first established on the estate. Other parcels utilize wire trellising with Royat double-cordon pruning, optimizing aeration and sun exposure.

Casa La Rad cultivates all four traditional Rioja red varieties—Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano—alongside two classic white varieties, Viura and Malvasía. The estate also grows several grapes officially permitted by the Rioja DOCa since 2007, including Chardonnay, Verdejo, the rare and expressive Maturana Tinta, and the wonderfully floral Tempranillo Blanco.

Additionally, the finca hosts small plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, originally established decades ago as part of a Rioja DOCa research project on new grape varieties. While Cabernet Sauvignon was ultimately not authorized for Rioja wines, its legacy plantings remain permitted for use at Casa La Rad. In contrast, Chardonnay has since been approved for the region and contributes elegance and complexity to some of our best white blends.

The average vine age on the estate is around 32 years, but since only 20% of the winery’s total production is bottled under its own labels, winemakers have the luxury of selecting fruit from the finest vineyard parcels—many over 40 years old—to craft wines of exceptional character.