The origin of today's company lies in 1896, when the Spaniard Federico Paternina bought three bodegas in Ollauri in the Rioja area. Among them was the Conde de los Andes, which already dated back to the 16th century. In 1920, Paternina acquired a cooperative in Haro and thus considerably expanded his production. From the 1940s onwards, the wines began to be exported worldwide. In the 1960s, the company ran into increasing difficulties and was acquired by the Rumasa company (owned by Jose Marea Ruiz Mateos). But the problems of Paternina and also of the new owner became even greater. Then, in the early 1980s, the heavily indebted Rumasa company, and with it Paternina, was taken over by the Spanish government.
For me, Lexicon from wein.plus is the most comprehensive and best source of information about wine currently available.
Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)