Esteban Celemín is a small grower and winemaker from Castronuño, a village in Valladolid on the banks of the Duero River. His story did not begin as a classic family winery. Wine first came through curiosity: a family vineyard, his father’s interest in farming, and later many years of learning, tasting and visiting cellars. Over time, this interest became a personal project.

The centre of Esteban’s work is Albillo Real, an old local white grape that had almost disappeared from the area. In the past, it was important in Castronuño, both for eating and for making wine, but many vines were removed in the 20th century. Esteban started looking for the few remaining old plants, taking cuttings from them and planting new vineyards with as much natural diversity as possible. For him, saving this grape is not only about wine, but also about keeping a part of local memory alive.

His vineyards are very small, and some parcels give only a few hundred bottles. He works organically, harvests by hand, and keeps the cellar work simple: natural fermentations, manual pressing, no filtration or clarification, and only a small amount of sulphur when needed.

The wines are made to show each place separately, even when the quantity is tiny. Albillo Real is his main voice, but he also works with grapes such as Verdeja, Malvasía, Palomino and Tinta de Toro. These are calm, personal wines from a grower who prefers patience, observation and respect for old vines over easy results.