Loess

 winemakers  No Responses »
Dec 052011
 

Loess is a winemaker effort with two parallel sides. Both projects aim to create terroir wines, expressing the characteristics of their select vineyards.

Loess makes reference to the soil type in the specific vineyards of this project. Located in Roa, Burgos, the hearth of Ribera del Duero, these soils appear as aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt. The tempranillo grape, or “tinta del pais” as known locally, is sourced from 74 acres classified as excellent in the official zoning of the DO. These ratings were commissioned by the regulatory council and the studies performed by the local university.

Two Verdejo whites from he neighbor region of Rueda complement the project. Loess created an Oak Barrel fermented Verdejo that is been acclaimed by the critics as one on the top Rueda wines in the market. Loess expert winemaking is matched with an unique approach to product image, creating true originals.

Bodegas Melgarajo

 winemakers  1 Response »
Dec 052011
 

Bodegas Melgarajo implemented an innovative approach to recover a local tradition.

The town of Melgar de Abajo in Valladolid has a long history of wine making mainly with red Prieto Picudo and white Verdejo grapes. About 150 landowners, almost everyone in town,  concentrated their land titles in a single 500-acre emblematic vineyard known as Valdeleña, historically the best location in the municipality. So far they have planted about 150 acres with a modern setup, aimed to create premium wines. Their Prieto Picudo Rose is one of the best expressions of the grape. The traditional winemaking includes the “Madreo”, creating “Vinos Madreados”, a technique combining carbonic maceration during fermentation.

Besides recovering the wine industry in the town, the enterprise has been a remarkable community building project. The whole town gets together for the harvest fest, a day of harvesting and celebrations. It’s a great educational tool for the youngsters and an example of creative sustainability.

The winery is involved in R&D projects with local universities to recover two native grapes: “Prieto Picudo Oval” and “Negra Sauri”. Experimental vinification of these varieties is underway.

Interview with Pedro Gonzalez Mittelbrunn

 winemakers  No Responses »
Sep 152011
 

Pedro Gonzalez Mittelbrunn
Agricultural Engineer, Master in Viticulture and Enology. Winemaker for Bodegas Melgarajo.


What differences can be appreciated between a Verdejo from Rueda or Valdepeñas and those from Melgarajo?

The main difference is that Melgar’s Verdejo is fresher and more aromatic due to a temperature variation more pronounced than in those other areas. This accumulates more aromatic substances and more acidity.

The “Madreo” technique, is it a form of malolactic fermentation?

No, Madreo partially involves carbonic maceration. Malolactic Maceration is a transformation of malic acid into lactic acid by lactic bacteria, whereas Madreo is a splitting of the sugars within the grape through the enzymes of the own grape in the total absence of oxygen (because it occurs inside the liquid). When the juice is fermenting whole bunches are introduced where there is no oxygen.

What do you intend using the “Madreo” technique?

The aim is to achieve four things: to get a rosé wine with more color, more body, more aromatic intensity and more carbon dioxide content. It is a product differentiation, a lightly sparkling rose. The light carbon dioxide presence gives freshness to the wine.

What are the strengths of Prieto Picudo against Tempranillo and Mencia grown in Ribera del Duero and Bierzo?

The first strength is that it produces wines entirely different from the rest, with its particular general characteristics and its own personality.
The second is its intense aroma, which is notably more pronounced than in most of the varieties grown in Castilla y León.
The third, its acidity, which is always very sustained and the musts never need external additions of tartaric acid for processing.
Fourth, it is a very noble variety, offering everything from the moment you uncork the bottle, not a reductive variety.
Fifth, it has more intense color than other varieties grown in Castilla y León.

How many years could Melgarajo wines be preserved?

The rosé and white about two years in bottle. The young red about 4 years. The red with 3 months in oak barrel about 6-7 years. The Tinto Crianza with 6 to 9 months in barrel about 10 years, and the Winemaker’s Reserve (Tinto de Autor) about 20 years approximately.

What are the best pairings for each of the Valdeleña wines?

The white with seafood, white fish, and simple grilled fish.
The rosé, with appetizers, soups, rice, fish stews.
The young red wine and the one with three months in oak barrel, with sausages, antipasto, cold cuts, and plain grilled white meats.
The Tinto Crianza with 6 to 9 months in barrel and the Winemaker’s Reserve (Tinto de Autor) with red meat, strong flavored meats, game, strong cheeses, terrines, foie gras.

What are the attributes and quality of the wines produced by Bodegas Melgarajo within a global picture with lots of brands and qualities?

They have a very good price to quality ratio, with added value due to the great differentiating point, the use of the regional varieties Verdejo and Prieto Picudo.


Pedro González Mittelbrunn


Demencia de Autor

 winemakers  No Responses »
Apr 142011
 

Our dream is to create a grand wine, based on our understanding of the vineyard, its terroir, and the native Mencia grapes. An artisan production, a vigilant aging, …

DEMENCIA is the Spanish word for dementia, a word that relates to the dysfunctional or the disorientation, a small mental disorder, but loaded with creativity and brilliance. This is the spirit of DEMENCIA wine. A young project created and developed by young people with a thing in common: they are foolish about wine.

Nacho Leon and Javier Vidal toil in El Bierzo, a hidden gem with long history as a wine country in Northwest Spain. The selected parcels are near the village of Valtuille, the hearth of the golden mile of El Bierzo vineyards. Soils are loam to sandy loam, with east exposure, a gentle slope, and old vines. They proudly tend less than 10 acres divided in more than 30 parcels. Most vineyards are in the best regarded sites of the region: Caños de las Virgenes, Cova de La Raposa, Matadeprada, Valdelaliebre, Valdemanteiga, or Villegas are some examples.

They follow a winegrower philosophy. The wine is grown in the vineyard. They are undertaking a tremendous project of recuperating some of these parcels in the old fashioned way. They practice eco-sustainable viticulture, caring for each plant individually and minimizing treatments.

Their intervention in the winemaking is also minimalist. Small scale production done by hand, evoking the traditions of the area. “We implemented what we heard from our elders” they say. “One of our fixations is to rack the wine coinciding with the different phase of the moon, and also acording to our mood, always paying attention to the technical requirements of the wine.”

“We believe that these are some of the reasons why our wine is a bit irrational. In fact, the idea of giving life to the wine makes us a bit foolish. It is a blessed madness that we love.”

Winemaking Tips

Feb 132011
 

Following the trend! Wine making tips from our friends at Demencia Wine

“The production, done in small tanks of only 1500 liters each, is more costly and entails more labor, but the result is more astonishing. The smaller tanks allow us to control the temperature of the must-wine without the need of machinery and without the use of energy. Also, the smaller volumes allow for better control, and the contact with the wine in formation is more intense.

The main effort that we must realize during the winemaking, is to pay attention to the details and to listen to the requests of the wine.”