"Montecillo" means little hill.' The Navajas planted the first vines here on a sunny hillside at the heart of the Rioja Alta. Since then, the bodega has made its name through grand, barrel-aged red wines. The estate works consciously to preserve the values and traditions of the region, which does not mean it makes quite the same wines enjoyed by the previous generation, let alone the generation before that. Montecillo combines fruit and elegance, using traditional winegrowing methods in combination with cutting-edge cellar facilities. Visitors can experience the philosophy and various processes of winemaking for themselves, up close and personal. The Osborne family, which has managed the estate since 1973, has painstaking restored the original Bodega Montecillo from 1874 and its wine cellar. These old walls radiate with new glory.