Eight Castilla y León producers to know
ALMAROJA Arribes
Englishwoman Charlotte Allen (pictured, p45) makes very characterful wines in Fermoselle in the depths of DO Arribes. With grapes such as Juan García, Rufete, Bruñal and Albillo, she works 12ha biodynamically and captures the wild and untamed nature of this very remote corner of Spain: a unique region worth getting to know. almaroja.es
DANIEL RAMOS Cebreros
Spanish-Australian Daniel Ramos makes some of the most exciting Garnachas in the Sierra de Gredos, more specifically in Cebreros, as well as a little Albillo. His wines reflect his various small parcels of different soils and aspects, bringing a unique profile to each cuvée. Elegant, fruity and sometimes delicate wines. danielramos.wine
ESTEBAN CELEMIN Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León
Making wines from vineyards around Castronuño, to the southwest of Valladolid, and from other sites through Castilla y León, Celemín makes beautifully expressive Albillo Real. He works with old vines to express the character of specific plots. These are among the most exciting examples of Albillo in Spain. estebancelemin.es
FINCA MUSEUM Cigales
There has been a gradual change in style at Finca Museum, now emphasised by Lluís Laso (pictured, p45), winemaker since April 2022 and previously of Finca Villacreces. Armed with old vines and traditional co-planted vineyards, the style is elegant with a judicious use of oak. Appropriately, given the name, La Renacida (‘reborn’, see p52) is a great example of its current direction. bodegasmuseum.com
FINCA VOLVORETA Toro
A family-owned winery with a long history in the region but now in the hands of María Alfonso, who is focused on organic viticulture. She has also incorporated the use of clay tinajas, as well as amphorae, to produce fruit-forward wines with minerality – a more elegant and authentic interpretation of Toro. fincavolvoreta.com
QUINTA MILU Ribera del Duero
Old-vine Tempranillo made with absolute attention to each vineyard plot, in fact to each vine, all organically cultivated. Germán R Blanco has set out to make wines that respect traditions, even returning to grape-treading, and has experimented with amphorae, tinajas and open ferments to bring out the pure fruit quality of each parcel. quintamilu.com
RAUL PEREZ Bierzo
A native of Valtuille de Abajo in Bierzo, Pérez is one of Spain’s most influential winemakers. While he makes wine in various regions, it could be argued that his impact is most felt in Bierzo, where he has made some of the area’s most important wines. He is famous for exploring the differences in Bierzo’s terroir through projects such as Ultreia, La Vizcaína and Castro Ventosa. raulperez.com
SABINARES Arlanza
A project focused on the recuperation of very old vines (more than 100 years old) at some of the highest altitudes in Spain (above 1,000m). The vineyards are close to Lerma and the medieval town of Covarrubias. Under the stewardship of winemakers David González and Bequer Prieto (see p51), the resulting wines are intense and powerful but seductively refined. #sabinaresyviñas ▶
Prieto Picudo variety dominates, with 69% of the vineyard area, the DO says. Other minority grapes, such as Albarín Blanco and Mencía, are hardly surprising given the region’s northwestern location (not far from Galicia).
In the case of rosado and reds, Prieto Picudo and/or Mencía must make up at least 60% of the blends, which sets this region apart from the rest of Castilla y León. Like in Cigales (see p44), rosé production has been important in the area around León city. Prieto Picudo offers intense colour, so rosados are often dark pink and very fruity, but the grape also has a lot of tannin, so reds still tend to be a little rustic in character.
MOUNTAIN WINES
At the other extreme of the region, on the very southern border where Castilla y León meets Castilla La Mancha and the Comunidad de Madrid, we find one of the most exciting winemaking regions in Spain. Nestled in the Sierra de Gredos, in the south of Avila province, DO Cebreros is home to old vines, pioneering winemakers and its superstar grape Garnacha (there is also wonderful old-vine Albillo Real).
This is home to Comando G (winemaking duo Daniel Landi and Fernando García, pictured), which makes one of the most sought-after wines in Spain: Rumbo al Norte (classified as DO Vinos de Madrid) – the 2021 is currently offered by Nemo Wine Cellars at £905 per 75cl bottle. With serious altitude (up to 1,200m) and granitic soils, the wines from this area are some of the freshest examples of Garnacha, with fine tannins but wonderfully ripe fruit.
There is a lot more to be said about the Sierra de Gredos where it extends beyond Castilla y León’s regional borders, but this would take us off-piste. A topic for another time.
THE OUTLIER
A winemaker in DO Bierzo once told me to take note of the nightly weather reports on the Spanish news, explaining that there is always a set of isobars hovering above Bierzo that bring a unique set of weather conditions to this most northern wine region of Castilla y León. But it is not just the climate that sets Bierzo apart.
Not quite Galicia, and just on the very edge of Castilla y León, Bierzo has its own character and culture which extends to its wines. The region’s main grape, Mencía, has already established itself on the world stage, but the further classification of specific vineyard sites and villages is now showing off the nuances of this world-class terroir.
THE HOME OF BIG REDS
What hasn’t already been said about one of Spain’s most important wine regions, Ribera del Duero (see panel tasting, p108)? The easternmost regions of Ribera itself, DO Arlanza (to the north of the Ribera region) and the tiny Vinos de Calidad region of Valtiendas (just below its southwestern edge) make some of Spain’s most concentrated reds, along with the more central region of Toro further west. But what’s new here?
After officially allowing the Albillo Mayor variety to be labelled (since 2019) as Ribera del Duero, the region’s whites are gaining in quality and reputation (see Dominio del Pidio in the wine selection, p51).
There is also an impetus to make wines that represent individual vineyard sites, particularly ▶
at higher altitudes, resulting in fresher, livelier wines. This is similarly reflected in the full-bodied reds of Toro, where some producers, albeit still a minority, are using less oak to preserve a purer expression of the vines.
Arlanza is a region to watch in the coming years. Some winemakers from Rioja and Ribera are already established in the region, among them Olivier Rivière (pictured, right), David González and Bequer Prieto. A lot of vineyard area was abandoned at the turn of the last century as people left villages to look for work in bigger cities, but the potential to resurrect old-vine Tempranillo, at a more northerly, cooler altitude than Ribera del Duero, is an exciting prospect.
WHERE TO NOW?
Castilla y León is a very large region incorporating many different wine styles, but there are some commonalities and emerging themes. There is a clear emphasis on respecting old vines and highlighting the array of indigenous varieties that are so well adapted to this terroir. Winemakers are choosing to show off the personality that these grapes and soils bring by better management of oak and experimenting with different ageing vessels, often those used in the past. Other growers are seeking out higher-altitude vineyards which not only produce fresher styles of wines, particularly reds, but are a useful counterpunch to the dramatic effects of climate change.
On the surface it can seem like a rugged and empty landscape. But one day you’ll wander down the dusty street of what looks like an abandoned town. You’ll knock on a door with fading colour, reach for the rusting handle and force it open as it creaks with the strain of action. You’ll fumble for a light switch and bingo! You might just stumble across some concrete tanks, foudres or tinajas with the next great Albillo or Tinta de Toro fermenting away. Dig a bit deeper, scratch below the surface, and Castilla y León might just reveal its secrets.
check with a stony backbone. The acidity might work well with something unexpected like a rich cocido (stew) with white beans. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 12%
4 Finca Montepedroso, Verdejo, Rueda 2022 91
£13.75-£17.50 Corking Wines, Hay Wines, Hic, JN Wine
A great example of why the Spanish love Verdejo. Intense lemon, lime and pineapple with some herbal notes and fennel. This Verdejo speaks of the vineyard and is not overworked, with just a touch of creaminess on the palate adding weight and texture. More complex and elegant than most at this price level. Drink 2024-2025 Alc 12.5%
Viñas del Cámbrico, Granito Rufete Blanco, Sierra de Salamanca 2017 90
£29.95-£31.75 Strictly Wine, The Secret Bottle Shop An intriguing wine made with the very rare Salamancan grape Rufete Blanco. Attractive quince and apricot on the nose, even a little minty. The marked acidity and flintiness keep the wine fresh while it has taken on an appealing waxiness with age. There are younger vintages released in Spain which would be interesting to compare with this older edition. Organic. Drink 2024-2025 Alc 12.5%
5 Quinta Milú, Milú, Ribera del Duero 2022 95
£19.75-£21.50 Cave Bristol, Salusbury Winestore, Seven Cellars, The Cellarhand, Wine & Greene
I love this unadulterated interpretation of Ribera – a joyous explosion of fruit, but not at all simple. This is the ‘entry’ wine in the range but deserves higher standing.
Minimal handling and just a few months in neutral oak result in heady cherry, cranberry and rose petal enveloped in the silkiest of textures and a crunchy, moreish finish. Organic. Drink 2024-2027 Alc 13.5%
Peique, El Rapolao, Vino de Paraje Valtuille de Abajo, Bierzo 2019 94
£52 WoodWinters
Complex and layered, a wonderful expression of one of the most important vineyard sites in Valtuille de Abajo. Forest herbs and garrigue combine with wild strawberry, Turkish delight and a touch of cola. Punchy with grippy, chalky tannins yet everything is in place and refined. The oak is noticeable but frames the wine well and it is still very young. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 13.5%
6 Finca Museum, La Renacida, Cigales 2021 93
£26.99 Liberty Wines, The Fine Wine Co, Vinvm
Lighter in colour than some of the other reds here. Bright and fruity with a seductively smooth palate, this is majority Tempranillo with quite a lot of Albillo, Garnacha and other varieties, co-planted as is the tradition in Cigales. Bursting with red cherries and floral aromas, this is a more delicate, elegant interpretation of the region. Drink 2024-2026 Alc 13.5%
7 Viñas del Cenit, Bonales Field Blend, Tierra del Vino de Zamora 2022 92
£16-£19.75 All About Wine, NY Wines
Need a wine for a good bit of grilled meat? This is the match! Very close to the border with Portugal, these vines are 80-100 years old, growing above 750m. It’s mostly Tempranillo but, again, other varieties are present in these traditional, co-planted farms. Blueberry, dark berries and peppery spice with noticeable high-altitude acidity. Approachable, authentic and great value. Drink 2024-2027 Alc 14.5%
Bigardo, Vino Tinto, Zamora 2020 91
£22.95 Flavours of Spain, L’Oculto Wine Bar,
The Drinksmith
Made by Kiko Calvo from his greatgrandfather’s vines in Toro. With intense dark fruit, blackberries and blueberries, the wine is taut and lively. Full of liquorice, spice and a touch of dark chocolate, concentrated but fresh, and highly enjoyable. Drink 2024-2025 Alc 14%
8 Menade, Adorado de Menade, Vino de la Tierra NV 93
£91-£100/magnum Bentley’s of Ludlow,
Blas Ar Fwyd, Hoults, John Hattersley, Vinomondo
A wonderful example of one of the almost-forgotten traditions of Rueda, made in the Sanz family’s own interpretation of a solera, whose origins date back to 1967. A blend of Verdejo with Palomino Fino that’s fortified after completing spontaneous fermentation, it’s an oxidative, Sherry-like non-vintage wine, with toasty oaky notes, dried fruits and a hazelnutty finish. Organic. Drink 2024-2030 Alc 15.5%