Isabel and Pablo, a husband and wife team, have set out to revive the wine-growing tradition of Alcaraz (Albacete), a village nestled beneath the mountain range of the same name at the crossroads of Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia and Levante.
Their little treasure is a seven-hectare goblet-trained vineyard grown at 800 metres elevation on clay soils with occasional limestone outcrops. When they took over, the neglected vines were yielding barely 1,000 kg/ha. Their journey began in the 2022 vintage, culminating in an initial release of 1,850 bottles priced at around €18.
The wine, which is not ascribed to any geographical designation, is called Los Mayos, a tribute to the area\'s traditional songs and the local festivities, usually held in May. It has been crafted as a field blend by co-fermenting the different grape varieties grown in the vineyard. Bobal, the dominant variety, is blended with some white Airén and small amounts of other unidentified varieties. The result is a fresh, mineral, medium-bodied red with firm tannins lively tension and great promise.
The project , named Descendientes de Elisa Amores, sheds light on yet another overlooked Spanish wine-growing region. The area\'s potential shines through its elevation and the impressive adaptability of local grape varieties This was one of our discoveries at the @vinosofftherecord show held in Madrid on Monday.
Author
Amaya Cervera
A wine journalist with almost 30 years' experience, she is the founder of the award-winning Spanish Wine Lover website. In 2023, she won the National Gastronomy Award for Gastronomic Communication
Previous Post
