Alfonso VIII Underground Winery
Caleruega
About
On the slopes of Monte de San Pedro, Peña San Jorge, Pico de la Horca and El Tallar, which surround the village, there are numerous wine cellars.
However, the oldest winery in Ribera del Duero is located two kilometres from the village, in the uninhabited village of San Martín de Bañuelos. The first document referring to the enclave dates from 1179, when it belonged to King Alfonso VIII, although it could be earlier, as there may have been a Roman villa in the area. Three walls and a basin carved in stone with a tap are preserved from the cellar. Access to the cellar is via a ramp. It consists of a single nave 25 metres long, 4 metres wide and 5 metres high. On both sides there are 12 “chapels” where vats and jars were placed, and there is also a basin to collect the spring water. There is also a 12-metre long ditch.
Almost a century later, Caleruega is the scene of other events that have much to do with the great-grandson of Alfonso VIII, King Alfonso X the Wise, and his royal family. These two monarchs were closely linked to the history of Caleruega, check them out here.