BD10 SPONSOR FEATURE: Veleta Wine & Gourmets of Spain

So happy to be back and participating in this GRAND OCCASION celebrating 10 years of BERSERKER BLISS!! ._Congratulations to Todd and all the folks that make our playground FUN!!_.


I am Nola Palomar, my late husband and I started Dominio Buenavista in the late 1980’s by clearing the stones and preparing the land that he had inherited from his father, Miguel.


Our first vineyard was an area that was know as La Balsa. In 1990 we planted the first vineyard with vitus vitus and two years later we traveled to Napa Valley and bought around 14,000 buds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Viognier. That February we embarked on an interesting odyssey to bring those buds into Spain. With several large duffel bags we headed to the airport only to be rejected for the amount of luggage we had. We we rerouted from Dayton - Detroit - Copenhagen - Barcelona - Madrid - Almeria. We made it and surprisingly all the buds made it too. Because we actually entered the EU in Copenhagen we did not need to have the Spanish Border Police inspect the bags. The next day we began field grafting the 14,000 buds and ended with about a 95% graft success rate.


During the next couple of years we installed our trellis and drip irrigation system and Juan took classes on wine making through Davis and we took multiple trip around the globe for him to feel competent as the winemaker for his new hobby. In 1996 we had our first little harvest and subsequent vintage of wine. We had help from other local winemakers and learned a lot over the next few years. In 1997 we broke ground for our winery and named the estate Dominio Buenavista. The winery had a underground cellar, tasting room and vinification and bottling room on the second floor. The cellar was connected to that area by a stainless steel piping system. We inaugurated our winery in 1999. Our architect had the wisdom to build the structure in a way to facilitate expansion quite easily. We branded the name Veleta to the wines, named after one of the tallest mountains in the Sierra Nevada, Spain.

Expand we did, we continued to expand the vineyards to encompass a mountain side calle El Cerron and further expansion to Vina de Erilla de la Cura. At the time the vineyards Erilla de la Cura were planted we also excavated and built a 135 million liters water reservoir to handle the drip irrigation to each vine in our 55 acres of vineyards. The water rights to Dominio Buenavista is key to our vineyards vitality because of our unique micro climate.


We are located approximately 18 miles to the Mediterranean Sea, nestled in an area known as the Alpujarra, at the base of the tallest mountains of the Iberian peninsula. We are in a perpetual rain shadow from May to October but also have the influx of gentle sea breezes which cool the vines throughout the growing season. The area is also protected from much of the searing heat of central and southern Spain by the mountains.

As the vineyards matured our wine making followed suit and in 2004 our Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo were both recognized as medal winning wines at a wine contest in Spain, since that time our quality has continued to improve as well as quantity.


In an effort to facilitate the sales of these boutique wines we decided to become importers, thus self importing our wines. We currently produce 12 different wines under the Veleta brand and 1 under the brand Sierra Sol. We also produce a beautiful Extra Virgin Olive Oil from our estate from groves of Lechin de Granada olives. It is said that these olives brought to the area by the Phoenicians hundreds of years ago are the genetic twin to Leccino of Tuscany.

I currently import a number of high end Spanish gourmets such as our Veleta Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sherry Vinegar, White Tuna, Sardines, Mussels, Ventresca, Caballa (Mackerel), queso Manchego, and Jamon Serrano.

Since my husband’s passing, it has been difficult to pick up all the pieces and to move forward, but I’m doing it. Nothing makes me more proud and honored than to carry on the dream of my husband.
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I’d assume, like Brian Loring, there are very few here who don’t ‘know’ Nola, and Veleta as well as Dominio Buenavista, as they continue to be among the favorites on BerserkerDay year, after year, after year…

Veleta wines and foods are awesome quality at a super good price … looking forward to ordering this year! I made the mistake of missing last year and no other olive oil quite hits the spot!

Mussels, Ventresca, Caballa (Mackerel)…? flirtysmile

Sorry for your husband’s passing…I hope that you carrying on his dream will help you heal and thrive going forward…

I am looking forward to purchasing my annual case of EVOO next Sunday!

While I “know” Nola and Brian Loring as regulars on WB, it is still nice to learn more about them and their products.
Glad to see they will once again participate in BD10.
Thank you.

I opened my last tin of sardines about a week ago at a friend’s 60th birthday party and everyone was asking where to get them. One person in particular commented, “These are Nola’s? Now I understand what all the fuss is about.”

Looking forward to reordering and I’ll have to try the tuna this year. Maybe I can find someone to split an olive oil order with. I usually only go through about a bottle a year so I have trouble justifying a 6 bottle order.

Me too!!! flirtysmile

I can help you to use more!!! Once you try it you will be surprised!

We’re not supposed to talk about auction items until they’re released on BD.

So I won’t mention that Nola has donated a place next to her winery for Berserkers to stay in Spain for up to a month. [training.gif]

Looking forward to this. I’ve had my eye on the jamon and jamonero if they are available. Does anyone know how long the jamon keeps for and best practice on how to keep it as was hoping to just pick at it over time when the jamon craving kicks in?

Tuna is a no brainer…

Can’t wait for this. Fingers crossed for chorizo!

Thankfully, I was there when Jay opened that tin of sardines and that was me! I was floored by how good they are!

what a great story. I had no idea of the magnitude of the operation. Wow!

I am so happy to here you liked the sardines Brad!! flirtysmile

LOL most of Juan Palomar’s “operations” were big!! champagne.gif

My Sympathies for your loss. I’m not familiar with your wine however after reading your story I’m going to make it a point to remedy that.

Looking forward to it.

Thank you for you kind comments. I am looking forward to your order!! flirtysmile

Who won the right to stay at your place in Spain last year? I never heard about their experience or saw pictures. That was an intriguing (and quite generous) offer.

Wow Nola, I’m with Alan in not realizing the scope of the winery, simply stunning!I’ll be a buyer Sunday.