Carmen Martínez Zabala and Lourdes Martínez Zabala are sisters and 4th generation owners of the Familia Martínez Zabala wineries.
Bodegas Faustino, their flagship brand, produces the Faustino I Gran Reserva. This widely recognized wine—with its distinctive label of a wealthy Dutch merchant painted by Rembrandt and wrapped in gold mesh—accounts for 30% of the Gran Reserve Rioja sold globally.
The Martínez Zabala sisters have been working in the family business for more than two decades. As the largest vineyard landowners in the region, they are very aware of their responsibility to the DOCa Rioja community and to the natural world itself.
Bodegas Faustino was one of the first wineries in the region to receive the Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection (SWfCP) certification and their renowned winery Bodegas Portia in Ribera del Duero also earned this prestigious certification in 2023. This is the highest level of certification available exclusively for wineries in Spain and exemplifies their commitment to the wellbeing of their employees and suppliers, and the development of local community and culture.
The Sisters Martínez Zabala are committed to being leaders in sustainability and biodiversity in the wine industry, protecting not just their 160-year family heritage, but also the extraordinary Rioja terroir.