Mustiguillo

VALENCIA

If Pepe Mendoza (see p25) is the godfather of the Mediterranean constellation, then Toni Sarrión is its secretary-general, due to his impressive ability to cope with organisations. Mustiguillo had an unpromising beginning: after all, neither the Bobal variety nor the Requena subregion were renowned. His ambition led him to invest time, energy and money into creating his own denomination, a Vino de Pago – DOP Pago El Terrerazo. The Vino de Pago category is criticised for uneven quality, but the Terrerazo wines disprove that.

Sarrión works with Bobals and Garnachas, and whites from the local Merseguera variety, grafted over Bobal rootstocks. He admits: ‘When I started I had no idea about fine wine. Up until 2008, I was producing powerful, hyperconcentrated wine. Then I started to look at the soils. [Argentinian winemaker] Sebastián Zuccardi worked with me in 2009; [winemaking consultant] Alberto Antonini came to visit. They both said, “You’ve got limestone”.’ More recently, he has had advice from soil specialist Pedro Parra. Undoubtedly, he listens; Sarrión keeps Mustiguillo moving – since 2014, he’s changed from full-on new oak to foudres.

Equally in Ribera del Duero in Spain’s northwest, his latest interest is in managing the winemaking at Hacienda Solano winery, and he’s also president of Grandes Pagos, the network of mainly family-owned producers promoting single-estate wines. As with the Vinos de Pago, these wines were uneven in quality, but he is recruiting new members, and the prospects are good.

Mustiguillo, Finca Calvestra, Valencia 2018 93 £ 21.90-£ 22.99 Berry Bros & Rudd, Hedonism, NY Wines of Cambridge

Mustiguillo’s Merseguera wines come from the 6ha of Finca Calvestra, at 900m. Top choice is the Margas bottling, named after the soil of this special plot: its 2016 vintage is a complex, saline wine with bright freshness, currently not easy to find. But savour the current vintage of Finca Calvestra itself: floral and fresh in style, with a delicate mineral edge. Organic. Drink 2021-2023 Alc 13.5%