José Madrazo Real de Asúa dies

José Madrazo, a driving force in Rioja and co-founder of the Conino winery, has died.

Born in 1935, José Madrazo Real de Asúa was a captain of merchant ships until starting his career in wine in the late 1960s after the birth of his third child.

Beginning as a technical director, Madrazo soon took the role of general manager where he was responsible for the vineyard’s agricultural practices and the UK market.

In 1973 Madrazo was one of the founding fathers of the single vineyard estate, Viñedos del Contino. He was a general manager until 1999 and retired in 2001.

He is survived by his son Jesús Madrazo, chief winemaker at Contino.