Following the periods of war and a difficult post-war era, rural exodus intensified, putting the continuity of family farms at clear risk.

For thirty years, these cooperatives proved to be an effective model for maintaining historic vineyards and improving the quality of their wines, both bottled and bulk.

Some introduced foreign grape varieties, others applied organic farming practices, and some implemented extensive aging periods for the wines.

As the 21st century progressed and with the arrival of the prestigious Rioja winemaker Álvaro Palacios to the area, new modernization projects and winery creations emerged, opening an international horizon for Bierzo wines.

Names of young winemakers such as Raúl Pérez, Amancio Fernández, Alfredo Marqués, Luis Peique, and Ginés García became prominent.

This new wave places a strong emphasis on the recovery of old vineyards through organic farming techniques, focusing more on viticulture than enology.

Among the leading figures of this movement are Verónica Ortega, José Mas Asturias, Nacho León, and the Bordeaux native Grégory Pérez.

According to data provided by the Regulatory Council of the Bierzo Designation of Origin for the year 2022, the registered vineyard area covers 2,349 hectares.

The low altitude also helps to prevent late frosts and means that the grape harvest is usually about one month earlier than in Castile.

The combination of geology and climatic conditions affects the rate of rock erosion and decomposition processes, as well as the formation of soil horizons.

The resulting soils can vary in texture, mineral composition, and physical properties, which in turn influence the land's ability to support different types of vegetation and crops.

However, the fine detrital deposits present, composed of clays, sandstones, quartzites, and slates, are very conducive to vine cultivation.

Villegas, a historic site in Valtuille de Abajo (Bierzo) The soil morphology is acidic, without the presence of carbonates, which is characteristic of humid climates, and it shows a high water retention capacity.