In 2002 the Rodriguez-Albendea family acquired Finca Omblancas, a winery and estate located in the winemaking region of Jumilla, within the province of Murcia, in southeast Spain. The property covers an expanse of 430 prime acres, and houses historic buildings, such as the Perico Molina winery, which dates back to 1888, and the current winemaking facility built in 1978. The Rodriguez-Albendeas, avid wine enthusiasts and collectors, recognized the region’s extraordinary potential and embarked on an ambitious project whose goal was to produce great wines that fully express the character of the terroir.

They began by enlisting Patrick Rabion, a noted enologist from Bordeaux, France, with ample winemaking experience in his native land, as well as in “New World” countries. Mr. Rabion assumed dual roles in the enterprise, serving as General Manager and Enologist. The facilities were updated with state-of-the-art equipment, the vineyards were restructured, adding acres of new vines, and four lines of appellation-controlled fine wines were created.