This is the most numerous cellar district in the Ribera del Duero: there are currently some 300 galleries or cellars in use, or with the possibility of being used. The exact dates of construction of these cellars are not known, but there is written information about them from the year 1600.

The underground cellar district of San Esteban de Gormaz is located on the eastern and western slopes below the castle, the epicentre of the town. It is a hill of clayey soil, consistent and impermeable, guaranteeing the evacuation of rainwater and facilitating excavation in depth and in a straight line. The topography of the land also facilitates the temperature and humidity conditions required for wine ageing.

The orientation of the entrance door to the gallery is defined by the mountain itself, although it is preferable to face north to avoid solar radiation and facilitate the preservation of the wine. The shape and dimensions of the cellar were not always foreseen at the beginning of the excavation: depending on factors of effort and proximity, the gallery was enlarged or side alcoves were built in subsequent years. For all these reasons, these underground cellars are all different: some with a barrel vault at street level, others with a deep barrel vault, some with a single gallery, others with side alcoves, etc.

Function: over time they have become a meeting place (picnic areas), providing a place to stay in the cellar for this purpose.

We are grateful for the work carried out by the Association of Friends of the Wineries and the Castle of San Esteban de Gormaz, which has published a book (2014) with an exhaustive census of owners. You can see the plans in the attached images.

This association periodically organises a homemade wine competition in San Esteban de Gormaz.

VISITS to the UNDERGROUND WINERIES of SAN ESTEBAN DE GORMAZ:

• There are currently no visits open to the public to these wineries by the Tourist Office.
• Most of the wineries in San Esteban de Gormaz belong to private individuals and associations.