San Asensio... home of "Clarete"

Before proceeding with the wineries located in Haro, the wine capital, let's learn a little more about the area, the best way to know that is knowing the people and their customs.

Today I will write about a village of 1,200 inhabitants, located 14 kilometers from Haro. It is very special to me, as it is my village.

Watercolour of Carlos Diez

http://karlosdiez.blogspot.com.es/2014/07/20-7-2014-concurso-en-san-asensio-rioja.html

You may not know San Asensio, but if we say: "the birthplace of clarete," "The Battle of clarete" or perhaps the "Monastery of the Estrella" (where many people studied and colonies were spending their summer holidays", it may sound familiar to you. San Asensio is a small village mostly devoted to viticulture, there are 3 cooperatives and 17 private wineries, many considering the population of the municipality, it also has a choir, a brass band and various groupings (Peña del Clarete, association of housewives .... etc.). A village full of life, it increases its population in summer time and other holidays as Easter.

Perhaps the best known is the Battle of Clarete, it takes place every July 25th, throwing 30,000 litres of wine in the area of "Cerrillo Vervalle"; everyone dressed in white will accompanied the Charanga directed to that point, where the battle begins, then continues the party in the center of the village. A weekend full of joy and celebration.

We must differentiate what is "clarete" and what is rosé. "Clarete" comes from musts of white grapes and red grapes, fermentation is done with the skin of red grapes; Rosé can be done with 100% red grapes, or with a blending of white adn red grapes, but the fermentation is done without the skin of the grapes.

The largest and most famous festival related to the wine would be the Battle of claret, but also on May 14th takes place the festival of San Isidro (patron of winegrowers) and the village goes out to celebrate in different wineries. 

Another of the most popular celebrations is the pilgrimage to the Davalillo Castle. Davalillo Castle is located 7km from San Asensio, it was the ancient settlement of the village before moving to its current location.

Davalillo´s castle

The first Sunday after Easter, and during the Monday of the village holidays (September) the pilgrimage is done, departing at 9 am from the church on a pilgrimage to Davalillo. During the pilgrimage, two virgins are moved, The Virgin of Davalillo and the Virgin of the Rosary, one is taken to the church of San Asensio and the other is taken to the castle. The dancers (one of the most important symbols of the village) go with the procession, making several stops and delighting everyone with their dance.

In September begin the festivities in honor of the Virgin of Davalillo, a week full of activities, music and fun.

Other activities take place along the year, as the day on which the Quintos go to the streets to ask for money to the people or when they do the typical New Year's Eve bonfire. In summer, several wine tastings are done at several wineries and cooperatives, in autumn chestnuts are roasted in the village square, the traditional treading of grapes is also made at Bodegas Lecea, being back in time for young and not so young people.

"The Cerrillo of Vervalle" is a hill where there is a large concentration of old cellars of over 300 years, dug under the ground; many are currently in disused but others have been rehabilitated and are still used to create wines in San Asensio.

Singular people, whose life is being on the streets, in bars, going out for pintxo-pote on Friday, or drinking zurracapote at Easter ... You have to experience it to know what it feels like, what San Asensio is able to give.

Soraya