The modern history of Bodega Hermanos Hernáiz began in the 1996, when the Hernáiz family acquired the Finca La Emperatriz winery in Baños de Rioja. The vineyards there are 600 meters high, which ensures a cool climate and gives the wines a special elegance and freshness. This winery in the Rioja Alta sub-region would become the "Cru" of the Hernáiz family. A lot of time and money was invested in the modernization of the vineyards and the bodega in order to produce spectacular wines with character. Numerous awards from the wine press testify to the success of the project.
In order to achieve a clear separation of the individual wine categories from Hermanos Hernáiz, three categories were introduced. The El Pedal series is the family's regional Rioja. The grapes come from their own vineyards in the towns of Fuenmayor, Cenicero, Navarrete, Hornos de Moncalvillo and Baños de Rioja. Above that is the local wine Las Cenizas. It grows in three very good plots in the town of Cenicero in Rioja Alta, where mainly Tempranillo grows, but also a certain amount of Mazuelo (red) and Viura (white).
The highest level are the wines from the Finca La Emperatriz estate described above. Following the example of the Bordeaux-Châteaux, there has been a first wine FINCA LA EMPERATRIZ in red and white since 2020 and a second wine each called El Jardin de la Emperatriz. The wines shine with finesse and structure. Great Rioja top wines that have repeatedly been rated in the middle of the 90/100 points by Parker's Wine Advocate, Tim Atkin and Guia Proensa.