TWO MINUTES WITH | Victor Urrutia, CVNE, Rioja
Victor Urrutia is the fifth generation of his family to run CVNE, one of Rioja’s most historic producers whose portfolio includes such renowned estates as Viña Real, Contino and Imperial. Educated at English boarding school Ampleforth, he earned a law degree in Madrid before working in banking and management consulting in London and the US. In 2003, aged 30, he returned to Spain to take the leadership of the family company. He has since overseen significant investments beyond Rioja, including new projects in Ribera del Duero, Valdeorras and Cava
What is your ‘last supper’ wine?
Last supper as in before I die? And I’m only allowed one? OK. Viña Real Gran Reserva 1973 – my birth year. To allow me to reminisce over my life, and other such nonsense. It was actually not considered a great vintage, but it has aged very well so far. Very light, reserved, but with depth and complexity. Since we didn’t make any magnums of this wine, two bottles of it please.
If I’m allowed a second choice, it would have to be a Madeira from the early 1900s. The older the better. Bought back in the day from Patrick Grubb’s magnificent Madeira lists. He was a charming man, so kind and knowledgeable. The producer doesn’t matter, he chose well. They all were and are excellent – they really do get better with time.
Where is your dream vineyard?
That’s a very difficult question. But since we’re dreaming, here goes: a plot high up in the mountains of the Valais, in Switzerland. Old local varieties, goblet-pruned. A little stone winery right there, looking into the valley. With foudres to vinify and age in, an underground cellar full of my favourite wines and whiskies, a kitchen and a dining room with a fireplace. And a private Telecabine to get there and back.
Who is your wine hero?
My uncle, Luis Vallejo. He trained as a lawyer but was asked to take over the family business in 1969; he retired when I started in 2003. It was the only thing he ever did, and he loved it – the product, that is. But good managers also promote the product, and market it, and sell it. He hated that. He refused to meet most clients. He wasn’t rude – he didn't mind meeting them, so long as it was just to taste the wines or visit the vineyard. As soon as they got down to pricing, he wanted somebody else to take over.
He was happiest talking to the workers in the vineyards, bringing in the fruit at harvest. He would spend all day there, even if he wasn't actually monitoring the tanks. He would just sit in front of the winery and talk to everybody. Could you be like that today? Probably not. You have to be in the market. But I admire that.
What’s the next big thing in wine?
You probably want me to mention some exciting new region or variety, but unfortunately the next big thing in wine is that normal, ordinary people are drinking less of the good stuff because they find it too expensive and they worry about their health. We need to make wines that have fine-wine qualities to them, and sell them at an affordable price. Maybe I'm being too idealistic about this, but that's the point. Wine was never intended as a luxury object.
What’s your favourite wine memory?
I’ll spare you the epiphany moment that people love to brag about, when they shat their pants over a Cheval Blanc ’47 at La Tour d’Argent. My favourite memory is of a cellar in a cool evening over an uneventful harvest. The smell of the fruit, the musts, the just-about wine. The relaxed atmosphere while the day winds down. It’s been in my head since I was a child and it’s my favourite wine memory for sure.
Not a 67 Pall Mall Member? Sign up to receive a monthly selection of articles from The Back Label by filling out your details below