From Plains to Peak
A Madrid Wine Adventure
Punta de Flecha, Luba 2021
Region: El Álamo, Madrid, Spain (40.23187896113203, -3.9611578715212454)
Grape: Malvar & Airen
Ageing: N/A
Vinification: Fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel
Farming style: Minimal intervention w/ biodynamic methods
Soil: Granitic sandy soils
Vine age: 80+ years
Notes: This is a skin ferment with local white varieties that are farmed in minimal intervention style on the plains to the southwest of Madrid. The climate out here is very arid and there is little nutrients in the soil. For that reason Alex and Maria, the project leaders, make a variety of herbal infusions and fermentations to care for and nourish the vines. These are made from things like calendula, horsetail, nettles, thyme, valerian, aloe vera and chamomile. Each has their special purpose either to keep away unwanted insects or fungus, to repair the scars of pruning. Some even help to cool the temperature of the leaves and vine when its super hot in summer.
SotoManrique, SUPERNAT Tinto 2022
Region: Cebreros, Gredos, Spain (40.45710590450541, -4.479108577133127)
Grape: Garnacha
Ageing: Stainless steel
Vinification: Fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel with temperature control.
Farming style: Minimal intervention
Soil: Granite, slate and quartz soils
Vine age: 80+ years
Notes: SUPERNAT is Chuchi, the man behind SotoManrique’s, wine to show the playful and more fresh side to the high altitude, old vine Garnacha grapes that he grows. For this wine it was fermented with native yeasts at low temperatures in stainless steel. That’s all. Nice and simple. The project SotoManrique was born to show the beauty of the terroir of Cebreros and Chuchi makes a stunning selection of wines that show the individuality of each little parcel, some are concentrated and balsamic while others, like this one are juicy and vibrant.
Ca’ Di Mat, Fuente de los huertos 2022
Region: San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Gredos, Spain (40.34238855353945, -4.4175392133658455)
Grape: Garnacha
Ageing: 1 year in French oak barrels
Vinification: Fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel with temperature control.
Farming style: Organic farming with some biodynamic technique
Soil: Granite soils
Vine age: 50 years
Notes: The vineyard that goes by the name Fuente de los Huertos, or fountain of the orchards, is one of the special plots that make up the collection that are cared for by Victoria and Paolo, of the project Ca’ Di Mat (Ca’ Di Mat means house of fools in Paolo’s dialect from the Piedmont region of Italy). They vinify each plot separately to show the stunning individuality of each parcel which comes out as wines with ruby red translucency, elegance and precision.