Ethical Code and Quality Policy, Environment and food safety
The origin of the Marqués de Murrieta winery is also the origin of Rioja. In 1852, Don Luciano Murrieta, applying the techniques he had learned in Bordeaux, produced the first Rioja wine with the intention that it should endure over time.
Thanks to its historical importance in the world of wine, its heritage and the architecture of the building itself, Castillo de Ygay, the headquarters of Marqués de Murrieta, was declared a museum in 2019.
Since 1983, the Cebrián-Sagarriga family has been at the helm of Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines, a family raised in diligence and daily effort. They are siblings with Galician hearts who fondly and gratefully remember their parents every day.
The major renovation project at Marqués de Murrieta was completed with the inauguration of the new winemaking area in 2021, a complex comprising more than 25,000 square metres of buildings constructed next to Castillo de Ygay. These extensive facilities are equipped with the most innovative winemaking technology, making the complex one of the most avant-garde buildings in the world. The facilities are surrounded by more than 50,000 square metres of gardens, creating an idyllic setting.
Through this project, the winery has been fully modernised without altering its roots or identity, perfectly blending tradition and innovation.
Our vineyards are our history, our uniqueness and our passion.
Our wines are born at Finca Ygay, a 300-hectare vineyard located in the southern part of Rioja Alta that surrounds our winery, allowing us to exercise meticulous control over the quality of our wines from the very beginning.
The origins of Pazo de Barrantes date back to the early 16th century, and it has been linked to the Cebrián-Sagarriga family ever since.
It is a unique stone building that has witnessed significant episodes in the history of Galicia over the centuries. Next to it stands the winery, also built in stone, constructed in 1991 by Vicente Cebrián Sagarriga, 10th Count of Creixell and father of the current owners, following the same philosophy as Marqués de Murrieta: to produce wines that reflect the character and personality of the vineyard from which they come.
Pazo de Barrantes is surrounded by 12 hectares of its own Albariño vineyards, located in the Salnés Valley, in the heart of the Rías Baixas Designation of Origin.
The exceptional terroir and its unique microclimate, combined with daily effort, care and expert knowledge, allow us to obtain grapes of the highest quality year after year. A meticulous and unhurried winemaking process allows these grapes to express their full potential in wines of great personality and with a vocation for longevity.
A way of life that begins in the soil with every grape and that we share with the world through our wines. We are a family united with a team of people who share the same goal: to keep our tradition alive, to believe in ourselves, in the quality we can offer and in the effort required to strive for excellence every day. We work with our hands, our minds and our hearts, applying technology while always maintaining a balance with our history.
Marqués de Murrieta is constantly evolving, with new, transformative and visionary ideas. These ideas help us adapt to changing times, new consumers, ourselves and our dreams. Marqués de Murrieta represents the pride of knowing that our vocation drives us to always do what we love, exactly as we love doing it. It is the passion for dignifying our vineyard, every grape, every bottle and every glass of wine in every corner of the world we reach. It is also our commitment to give back to society everything within our means.
The Code of Conduct of Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines has been established to provide additional guidance regarding legal compliance and to define the principal rules of conduct that must be observed internally and in all interactions between the company and third parties. These rules are mandatory for all employees, and the company will seek to extend them to all its suppliers, partners and stakeholders.
Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines considers transparency, integrity and business ethics to be the fundamental basis of all its relationships, whether professional, commercial or social. Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines expects the following at all times:
| • |
All applicable laws, rules and regulations are respected in every area of operation, whether at local, national or international level. |
| • |
The best sustainable practices are implemented in accordance with current regulations. |
| • |
Company assets and property are used appropriately and protected, and all employees safeguard their company’s assets and facilities in a prudent, reasonable and responsible manner. |
| • |
No unethical practices or conduct are carried out that, even if not illegal, could harm the reputation of the companies. |
| • |
No one participates in actions that compromise or endanger legality or fundamental ethical principles. |
| • |
All financial, commercial and business information is issued in a transparent and honest manner. |
| • |
The principles of confidentiality are respected, and information received as confidential is neither used nor shared except where required by law or in compliance with judicial or administrative decisions. |
| • |
The necessary measures are in place to guarantee the privacy of personal data accessed during the course of business activities. |
| • |
The strictest standards of ethical and moral conduct are observed, refraining from any practices involving corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery. |
| • |
No direct or indirect payments, whether in cash or in kind, are offered to employees or other entities with the intention of unlawfully obtaining or retaining business or other advantages. |
Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines therefore recommends that its suppliers, partners and stakeholders have their own policies and codes of conduct to guide behaviour in accordance with these fundamental ethical principles. Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines respects and embraces the values contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the resolutions of the International Labour Organization aimed at respecting individual dignity, and the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child. Consequently, Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines expects its Group and related parties to:
| • |
Adopt appropriate measures to ensure absolute respect for human rights within their organisation, as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, avoiding any violation of those rights both within their organisation and throughout their sphere of influence. |
| • |
Support and respect the protection of internationally recognised fundamental human rights within their sphere of influence, ensuring that they are not complicit in any form of abuse or violation of those rights. |
| • |
Reject any form of physical, psychological or moral harassment, abuse of authority or any other conduct that intimidates or violates the rights of individuals. |
| • |
Ensure the elimination of physical barriers that may restrict opportunities for people with disabilities. |
| • |
Seek to raise social awareness of sustainability, guaranteeing sustainable products and services; prioritising, for example, durable, resilient and adaptable designs to promote the sustainability of materials and resources from the design stage; and prioritising the purchase or rental of local materials to reduce transport costs. |
| • |
Maintain an environment in which all workers are treated with dignity and respect, without threats of violence, sexual exploitation or abuse, verbal or psychological harassment or mistreatment. |
| • |
Prohibit forced labour in all its forms, adopting employment practices compatible with the relevant ILO conventions. |
| • |
Provide workers with a safe and healthy working environment, complying with laws and regulations regarding wages and working hours and respecting all workers’ rights. |
| • |
Reject any form of discrimination in employment and occupation on the grounds of age, race, colour, gender, religion, national ancestry, sexual orientation, social or ethnic origin, physical ability, pregnancy, health status, public opinion, trade union membership or marital status, and respect the legally established employment quota for people with disabilities. |
| • |
Support the eradication of child labour by not employing minors for any type of work, with the minimum age for admission to employment being no lower than the age of completion of compulsory schooling, in accordance with national legislation. |
| • |
Guarantee occupational health and safety policies for all employees in compliance with legislation and to prevent workplace accidents in every activity undertaken by the company. |
| • |
Promote communication with employees and strengthen the strategic alliance between family, organisation and the environment. |
| • |
Provide employees with the necessary education, training and skills development. |
| • |
Supply workers with all equipment necessary to ensure their complete safety in the workplace. |
| • |
Provide employees with a safe and healthy workplace, committing to comply with international safety standards. |
| • |
Guarantee, as a minimum, access to drinking water and sanitary facilities, fire safety, industrial hygiene, adequate lighting and ventilation and appropriate protection for each activity. |
| • |
Establish preventive measures to avoid workplace risks and emergency response procedures for accidents occurring during work activities. |
| • |
Ensure that good standards of order and cleanliness are maintained in work areas. |
| • |
Train employees to understand and apply these measures, ensuring that they safeguard their own safety and that of other employees, customers, suppliers, partners and all individuals who may be affected by their activities. |
| • |
Maintain an effective environmental policy and comply with current environmental protection legislation and regulations, committing to promote initiatives that combat climate change and preserve biodiversity. |
| • |
Maintain a preventive approach and promote initiatives that encourage greater environmental responsibility, seeking increased efficiency in activities, facilities, equipment and working methods. |
| • |
Design production processes that use available resources efficiently and minimise environmental impact; promote responsible and efficient water consumption among employees and throughout operations; reduce energy consumption, the use of more polluting refrigerants and greenhouse gas emissions; and use efficient transport systems, among other measures. |
| • |
Promote the development and dissemination of environmentally friendly technologies, safeguarding and protecting the biodiversity of the surrounding environment, including fauna and flora, and minimising or eliminating light and noise pollution. |
| • |
Implement effective systems to identify, control and address the main environmental impacts generated by their activities in relation to the consumption of natural resources, emissions management, waste, hazardous substances and spills; and, in the event of environmental damage, use all necessary measures to restore the situation that existed before the event causing the impact. |
Unethical conduct, a breach of the Code of Conduct or non-compliance with current regulations may damage the reputation, brand and business activities of Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines, as well as its owning family and management, and may result in fines and civil and/or criminal liability for individuals or the company.
Employees must report any potential breach of the Code of Conduct through the form available on the Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines website, www.marquesdemurrieta.com, in the Whistleblowing Channel section.
The privacy of the individuals involved will be protected except where disclosure is necessary to conduct an appropriate investigation or is required by law. Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary measures, including warnings, suspension or dismissal, depending on the seriousness of the breach. Third parties may likewise use the Whistleblowing Channel to report any identified non-compliance to Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines.
We are a family. Not only through ownership, but also through our daily work: a wholehearted commitment to every task, always striving for excellence and bringing care to everything we do. Our work begins with tending the vineyards at Finca Ygay, continues with managing the entire winemaking and ageing process at the winery, and extends to all the actions required for the successful presentation of our wines in different markets and their subsequent delivery to customers around the world, so that we may share unforgettable family moments with them.
We have already devoted 173 years to continuous effort, and we want to turn them into another 173 years of prestige and international recognition, continuing to write the chapters of this beautiful history so that everyone involved may feel proud and fulfilled.
We maintain meticulous respect for wine, controlling our grapes from their origin through to harvest and combining traditional techniques with the most advanced technology in our winemaking methods. We validate the appropriate ageing periods in barrel and bottle to produce wines of the highest quality.
Wine is a living entity, and it is within a family that it can receive the finest care and reach its fullest potential.
Our commitment to caring for our planet and for the nature that gives us so much is absolute. With determination, we undertake to reduce the environmental impact of all our activities through the sustainable use of natural resources and raw materials, the optimisation of waste generation, environmental protection and the prevention of pollution, with particular emphasis on combating climate change. These commitments will serve as a framework for establishing part of our periodic objectives.
We also adhere to the highest standards of food safety, producing safe wines with complete traceability throughout every stage of the winemaking process. This traceability is fully transparent and available whenever required, helping us to maintain and, wherever possible, strengthen the great trust our customers place in our brands. The health of our consumers must be firmly protected by identifying, analysing, preventing, minimising and, whenever possible, eliminating any health risk or critical control point in the winemaking process.
It is also our responsibility to remain sensitive to the changing needs of the market and our surroundings in every area, always respecting our tradition while adapting to change. We comply at all times with all legal requirements in every field and establish even more rigorous internal standards regarding quality, the environment and food safety in order to improve all our processes. We place particular emphasis on the continuous training of our staff and on fostering a strong food safety culture, thereby reducing potential risks, strengthening our capabilities and giving substance and continuity to our commitment to the ongoing improvement of our integrated management system.
Our purpose at all times is to bring our family values to the project. These values are essential to ensuring the involvement, enthusiasm and happiness of everyone around us: our employees, suppliers, distribution network, customers and even those who simply observe the project.
We want people both within and beyond our borders to discover who we are and what we feel through our wines of the highest quality, and to share this beautiful journey with us.
Creixell Family
March 2025
We are a family-owned winery located at the Pazo de Barrantes Estate, dedicated to producing wines of the highest quality under the Rías Baixas Designation of Origin and present on five continents.
Our responsibility is to be worthy of continuing to write new chapters in this beautiful history, undertaking new phases that honour its legacy and consolidate and enhance its existing international prestige and recognition.
One of these commitments is to minimise food loss and waste throughout our winemaking process. Pazo de Barrantes, S.A. embraces the European Union’s reduction objectives in line with the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG Target 12.3, acknowledging its shared responsibility for the impact of its activities on the planet’s natural resources and their economic and social consequences.
Pazo de Barrantes therefore undertakes to:
| • |
Implement robust monitoring of food loss and waste, including the consumption of raw materials, waste generation and losses during winery operations. |
| • |
Monitor and track food loss and waste, as well as the reduction measures that are implemented. |
| • |
Actively prevent and reduce food loss and waste. |
| • |
Work collaboratively with stakeholders, particularly distributors and suppliers, throughout the value chain to reduce food loss and waste by participating in cooperative initiatives and promoting sustainable practices. |
| • |
Promote and support campaigns with non-profit organisations through donation programmes, mainly carried out through the Marqués de Murrieta Foundation. |
| • |
Educate and train stakeholders to generate knowledge, awareness and information regarding the importance of adopting measures to reduce and properly manage food loss and waste at source among the different stakeholder groups of Pazo de Barrantes, S.A. |
| • |
Establish objectives, measure progress and report on advances in reducing food loss and waste. |
| • |
Communicate, when necessary, the progress made in reducing food loss and waste. |
Creixell Family.
