Old ungrafted Monastrell. Photo credits: A.C. and A.H-N.
The average annual rainfall in Jumilla is officially 300 mm, but this is not always the case and certainly not in all areas of this DO, which straddles the provinces of Murcia and Albacete and has significant differences in elevation.
Bodegas Viña Elena is located in Estrecho de Marín, at the southernmost tip of the DO. Parcela Mandiles (1,308 bottles, €28), one of the top reds in the terroir-driven Bruma del Estrecho range, is a 15.5% abv dry-farmed Monastrell from the 2022 vintage. It comes from an ungrafted vineyard planted in 1952, using the traditional practice of placing the main root in an 'L' shape facing north, so that it benefits from the shade of its own shoots and can survive extreme drought conditions.
At just 360 metres above sea level, the lowest elevation in the region, and with less day-night temperature variation, the best option is to look for the coolest exposure and maximise the benefits of stony, permeable, deep soils capable of retaining moisture in the lower layers, allowing roots to develop beyond all expectations (as shown in the photo below). “The thicker the layer of stone, the lower the soil temperature,” explains owner and winemaker Elena Pacheco.
As a result, Mandiles is a powerful, warm red, but not overly concentrated, with complex notes of esparto grass and Mediterranean herbs, as well as an enveloping texture. As for the entry-level Paraje Marín (22,000 bottles, €8), the ripeness of the Monastrell grapes on the western slopes of the valley is tempered by the grapes grown on the eastern flank. Picking is done relatively early in the season and the wine is aged in concrete, which, according to Pacheco, adds scope and aromatic definition and helps the wine to 'finish ripening'.
Every aspect contributes to the pursuit of freshness, including working in higher areas such as the Casa Quemada estate at 700 m elevation in Jumilla's Término Alto, where they make one of their most interesting new releases, Finca CQ Monastrell, which is also aged in concrete. The vineyard is farmed under terraje, a local arrangement that involves acquiring the right to grow vines without owning the land.
Altitude is a key factor in the region. There is a two degree variation in average temperature between the lowest and highest vineyard elevations.
Jumilla is a land of contrasts. The 3,000 annual hours of sunshine are tempered by the orography of the region: a succession of valleys surrounded by low sierras (the highest peak doesn't exceed 1,400 metres) that form part of the Prebetic mountain range.
Mountain ranges such as Carche, Molar, Cingla, Buey, Peña Rubia or Gavilanes are often mentioned in local producers' catalogues and tasting notes as the location of their plots. But they also provide considerable shade for the vineyards. There is evidence that plots benefiting from their shade receive up to 20% less sunlight, which certainly makes a difference in such an extreme region.
Significantly, a large number of sites in the region include the word umbría (shade) in their names. This term is commonly used in the region to identify the shaded areas in the vineyards. Bodegas Olivares has even included the word on the label of its new wine, Umbrías de la Hoya. Starting with the 2022 vintage, this red replaces the former Crianza with a terroir-driven approach.
The majority of the Olivares family's vineyards are located in Tobarra, in Hoya de Santa Ana. This is a 225-hectare property at over 800 m elevation, 110 of which are ungrafted Monastrell vines. The oldest vines are on the shaded slopes of the estate, where all the premium wines come from, as well as Umbrías, Altos de la Hoya and the iconic sweet wine, Olivares Monastrell.
Dead vines are replaced by layering (burying a shoot so that a new vine can grow) and by planting new vines from massal selections. For this purpose, a small nursery was created in 2014. The plants are kept here for two years so that they can develop long roots that will allow them to take root in the soil when they are planted in the vineyard. According to Elena Selva Olivares (pictured below with her uncle Pascual), ungrafted vines imply natural selection and a unique connection to the land. "They are local plants that show the character of the place in a wonderful way," she points out.
Perhaps the greatest asset Jumilla has to offer the world is a heritage of some 1,000 hectares of ungrafted vines. Thanks to the area's resistance to phylloxera, local growers continued to plant ungrafted vines until the EU ban came into force. Most of the area is planted with Monastrell (890 hectares), followed by 60 hectares of Airén and 30 hectares of Alicante Bouschet (Garnacha Tintorera).
This is why the DO has become a member of The Old Vine Conference, a not-for-profit association that champions old vines on a global scale, which organised a press trip to the region at the end of April. According to Sarah Abbott MW, co-founder and spokesperson for the association, "the heritage of old vines can redefine the image of 'workhorse' regions such as Jumilla. Old vines power its most iconic wines and bring serious attention to old vine genetics."
Is this enough to promote the best version of the region on international markets? B-side data shows that Murcia is one of the regions that has lost the most vineyards in Spain in recent years. Between 2001 and 2023, the area under vine more than halved from 45,401 to 21,144 hectares, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Carolina Martínez Origone, director of the DO Jumilla Regulatory Board, confirms that the balance between grubbing up and new planting is negative: "Around 400 hectares of vines are lost every year."
While it is not easy to know how many of these are old vines, vines over 35 years old represent 12% of the total area under vine in the DO. The main threats to old vines come from low yields (just over 1,500 kg/ha in Jumilla), the high cost of manual harvesting, the lack of a new generation to farm the vineyards and, increasingly, alternative crops. In addition to the olive and almond trees common in Mediterranean areas, crops such as lettuce and broccoli, which require irrigation in an area where 75% of the vineyards are unirrigated, are now being introduced. Not to mention relatively new uses of land like solar panels.
It is also common for well-established producers to buy up the old vineyards they need for their premium ranges, thus no longer buying from local growers, and eventually leading to oversupply.
A visit to Cerrón in Fuente Álamo (Albacete) the winery that has been on everyone's lips since the release of its Stratum range, can lift anyone's spirits. Talking to the younger generation is always refreshing. According to Juanjo Cerdán, "it's not just about old vines, it's about culture, a way of life and the future of our villages. The future is not in solar panels or old vines; the future is in agriculture and good vines planted in good sites."
Cerdán admitts that they continue to buy vineyards, but as many are being uprooted, they have started to buy land (they already own seven hectares) in places where there were vineyards in the past. Their aim is to establish new plantings with massal selections from their old vines.
It is not an easy road. Elena Pacheco still gets emotional when she remembers the family's financial problems in the early eighties, which forced them to apply for a grubbing-up subsidy that wiped out almost all their vines. His father saved Mandiles because he and his grandfather had dug the holes, one by one, to do the traditional ungrafted planting. Today he would be proud to see how it reflects the resilience of the territory.
UNDERGROUND SECRETS
Much of Jumilla's resilience lies deep in the earth. The main theme of The Old Vine Conference trip was 'Soils for Survival' and took participants to explore various soil pits under the guidance of Joaquín Cámara Gajate, an assistant professor at UPM (Polytechnic University of Madrid) with a PhD in Soil Science. According to Cámara Gajate, "Jumilla offers the perfect blend of traditional farming and soil properties."
Firstly, layering the vines creates a highly developed and powerful root system: "It's not just the root of one plant, but a mega-root from which many plants grow," he explains. Other aspects that increase resilience include very low planting densities and dry farming, which "although imposed, prevents salinisation of the soil."
According to Cámara Gajate, common features include deep soils, which allow roots to spread deep into the ground, and high water-holding capacity, due to the predominance of limestone, which gives freshness, and the stony topsoil, which prevents water from evaporating. Other common features are the alkaline nature of the soils (pH above 8), offset by the low sodium content.
The soil expert also highlights the low level of organic matter, which increases the wines' storage capacity. "The more organic matter there is, the rougher and albumin-rich, unstable wines you get," he explains.
But perhaps what impressed him most was the ability of ungrafted Monastrell to adapt perfectly to soils with very high levels of active limestone, something for which very few rootstocks are suited. Isn't Monastrell the heroine of a vineyard where every single aspect seems to be geared towards its survival?
Finca Las Encebras 2023 Blanco, Viña Elena Bruma del Estrecho. Airén with five-six days of skin contact, aged in demijohns with a thin layer of flor. Pollen, camomile, moderate alcohol, well balanced and truly original. It not only shows the potential of the local white variety Airén, but also that there is much more to white wines than fruit. 12.5% abv. €17.
Xenysel Pie Franco 2022 Tinto, Bodegas Xenysel. 50 to 60-year-old vines from the Hoya Torres valley at 850-900 metres elevation in the Término Alto area of Jumilla. This is an unoaked red fermented in stainless steel tanks. Excellent varietal expression showing depth and a lush character. Amazing value. Organic. 14.5% abv. €7.
Olivares Umbría de la Hoya 2020 Tinto. This wine replaces the former Crianza and includes the term Umbría, which we would love to see more often on Jumilla labels. Liqueur fruit over a fresh herbal background. Very sapid on the palate, where the fruit and terroir come together. Organic. 12% abv. €15.
Terraje 2021 Tinto, Parajes del Valle. Ungrafted Monastrell from two different sites: Fuente de las Perdices and Cañada de Albatana. Good depth with freshness, savoury and avoiding extraction. Good value for money. 13.5% abv. €17.50.
La Servil 2021 Tinto, Bodegas Cerrón. Ungrafted vines grown on slopes at 860 to 940 metres elevation in the area of Fuente Álamo. It shows the elegant and refined style that distinguishes the work of the Cerdán brothers. Fragrant nose with red berries, good tension on the palate and chalky notes on the finish. Demeter certified. 14% abv. €25.
Finca Monastasia Monastrell Pie Franco 2021 Tinto. A new Chinese venture that has hit the market with the region's most distinctive style. Made from 80-year-old vines in Cañada del Cerro Blanco, in Ontur (Albacete), at 800 m elevation. Fragrant, spicy Monastrell, with very subtle oak. Savoury, deep and already very pleasant to drink. 14.5% abv. €39.
Clío 2005 Tinto, Bodegas El Nido. Great proof that Monastrell can age gracefully. The wine, tasted at Bodegas El Nido and made by Australian winemaker Chris Ringland, includes 30% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Deep, fresh, polished and really surprising. The current 2021 vintage costs around €49.
Casa Castillo Pie Franco 2018. This is the highest priced Monastrell in the region and was the first to use the term pie franco on a label. The grapes come from a vineyard planted in 1942. This is a deep, tight red that still feels very young, with vibrant fruit and remarkable complexity. A great combination of power and finesse. The current vintages are priced at around €130-140.
