The period between the wars

From the end of the First World War until the end of the Spanish Civil War the bodega went through a quiet period with no significant changes.

In the years immediately after the 1914 War, wine was sent by rail in hogsheads to our agents, whilst a team of 4 or 5 employees from the bodega (Pedro Palacios, Estefanía, "Piedra",..) would go from agent to agent bottling the wine, capsuling it, labelling it, etc. In the bodega we still have the special, unlimited mileage season tickets they used to travel more economically. They would travel for several months at a time before returning home, making journeys throughout the whole of Spain.

In 1922, after 32 years in his position, the manager was succeeded by his son Don Mariano J. Lacort Tolosana, who held this same post for another 16 years.

In the thirties it became standard practice for bottled wine to be consigned direct from the bodega.

Although the wine was now available in bottle, it was still transported in casks, made of black poplar. The bottles of "Reserva 1890" would be placed at the bottom, wrapped in yellow cellophane paper with straw covers. The poplarwood casks, having a capacity of 100 bottles, were sent abroad, whilst for the Domestic Market the bottles were presented in the same straw covers but in wooden boxes of 24 bottles. Later the straw covers were replaced by "carenes" (papier-maché) covers and later still by pleated wrappings. Today they are sent in cardboard or wooden cartons with separators.

In 1935, under the management of Don Luis Cabezón González, the "BIKAÑA" brand was introduced, now used exclusively for the catering trade in Haro. This was done in recognition and gratitude to the city of Haro for all the support we have received during these 100 years.

In 1936, the grapes were still at almost the same price as in 1890, costing 0.18 ptas/kg, but a year later the price almost doubled to 0.34 ptas/kg. It seems logical to suppose that war-induced inflation was behind this price increase.

In 1940, Cuba was our number one client, importing especially Viña Ardanza and a 3rd year wine, predecessor to Viña Alberdi. Exports continued to rise despite our importing agent'fears that "with the 3rd year wine at 5 ptas per bottle we may lose all our customers".Nonetheless, sales increased until (as the reader may well imagine) the Cuban Revolution.

Meanwhile, in Venezuela we had a very good market. "Radiante", a semi-sweet wine, was the main attraction in that country. It was used for celebrating Mass. The situation reached such a point that to export the wine, apart from the corresponding analysis of the Enological Centre in Haro, a certificate from the Bishopric had to be arranged, recognising the suitability of the wine for Consecration.

On September 28th 1942, under the chairmanship of Don Leandro Ardanza Angulo a tradename was registered which was to become the most famous and prestigious of the company - "Viña Ardanza".

The name originated from one of the families with the closest links to the bodega. Even today Don Alfredo Ardanza, a direct descendent of Don Daniel-Alfredo Ardanza, the founder, is a director of our company. Right from the beginning Viña Ardanza has been, for its intrinsic characteristics, for its originality and personality, the showpiece and most important representative wine of our bodega.

During those decades the casks were entirely made in our bodega. A team of 5 coopers were responsible for making the casks. Today, because of the large number of Bordeaux casks, our barrel-making department is scarcely involved in the making of casks; it is mainly dedicated to repairs.