Drone in vineyards
19/05/2025
At Viña Meín – Emilio Rojo, we believe winemaking is, above all, a way of relating to the landscape. Respect for the environment, conscious use of resources, and a long-term vision guide every decision we make. In 2022, we launched a renovation project of our facilities that has now earned special recognition: the installation of a geothermal energy system at our winery in Lugar de Meín.
This year, the Asociación Clúster da Xeotermia Galega (ACLUXEGA) has awarded us the 2025 Geothermal Energy Prize in the Business/Industrial category, a recognition we share with the new headquarters of Corporación Hijos de Rivera – Estrella Galicia in A Coruña. This distinction highlights not only the technical outcome of the installation but also the strategic decision to embrace sustainable solutions in the business world.
The importance of geothermal energy
Geothermal energy is a clean, efficient, and silent source of power that harnesses the earth’s internal heat to regulate the temperature of buildings and/or storage facilities. The system implemented in 2022 posed a technical challenge but also presented an opportunity to advance toward a more efficient winery—one more integrated with its surroundings and more mindful of the legacy we seek to build. This award recognizes the coherence between our vineyard practices and what happens behind our cellar doors.
Recognition from the geothermal community
ACLUXEGA is composed of highly specialized companies representing the entire geothermal energy value chain. The cluster has produced key tools like the Manual de Geotermia, a reference publication used by universities and professional institutions, and actively collaborates with Galicia Calidade to promote the adoption of geothermal energy across the Galician economy.
Being acknowledged by this organization is especially meaningful due to the significance of the projects recognized. In this edition, other awarded initiatives included the new Estrella Galicia headquarters, the Paraíso residential development in Oleiros, the Raiola senior residence in Santiago de Compostela, the Hotel Plaza Obradoiro (also in Santiago), the Virgen del Camino parish in Pontevedra, and the Floricultura Toxal nurseries in A Guarda.
We sincerely thank ACLUXEGA for this recognition and congratulate all other awarded projects. It’s an honor to be part of this edition and to share values with other initiatives that show sustainability and excellence go hand in hand.
This recognition is part of a broader commitment we share at Alma Carraovejas: working toward real, measurable sustainability in the territories we call home. We believe our activity must have a positive impact—environmental, social, and cultural—on the regions where we operate. For years, we’ve been integrating sustainability into every aspect of our decision-making, and that long-term effort was recently validated when we achieved B Corp Certification—one of the most rigorous and respected global standards in sustainability, governance, social responsibility, and environmental care. This certification isn’t a finish line; it’s a tool that helps us improve, assess our impact, and strengthen our commitment to a responsible, forward-looking business model.
Geothermal energy and architectural integrity
The renovation of Viña Meín in 2022—led by the Alma Carraovejas Projects team alongside MOL Arquitectura—represents a harmonious vision of architecture, sustainability, and functionality. From the outset, the project sought to engage in dialogue with the Ribeiro landscape—not just visually, but through technical and environmental criteria. The integration of geothermal energy was key to that process: it wasn’t just about increasing efficiency but doing so with a solution that honors the environment and aligns with the identity of our winery. The result is a building that doesn’t impose itself but instead adapts—partially buried and nestled into the terrain—creating a harmonious experience for those who work within it and those who visit. This way of building—with a long-term, nature-conscious mindset—is also a way of caring for the land.
