Ossian opens its cellar: A 15-year journey through pre-phylloxera Verdejo

The launch of the new Ossian winery in Nieva (Segovia) a few weeks ago provided a unique opportunity to revisit one of Spain's most remarkable white wine projects, rooted in a precious heritage of pre-phylloxera vines.

Founded in 2005 by the late Javier Zaccagnini, former director of the Ribera del Duero Regulatory Board, and local winegrower Ismael Gozalo, Ossian became fully owned by the Ruiz Aragoneses family in 2016. Since then, it has turned into one of the jewels of the Alma Carraovejas group. Although José María Ruiz, the driving force behind the celebrated restaurant in Segovia that bears his name, initially hesitated over the long-term prospects of white wine, his son Pedro was confident. The vineyards, the location in the family's home province and the mirror effect — “Ossian could be to Verdejo what Carraovejas was to Ribera del Duero” — made the project irresistible.

Over the past decade, the family has acquired and restored old vineyards, eventually amassing a total of 70 hectares. They have  studied and classified the historic plant material, creating three co-planted and separated biotype reserves. These massal selections are now new plantings estined entirely for the entry-level Quintaluna. By contrast, the project's flagship white wine, Ossian, and the single vineyard Capitel come from pre-phylloxera vines.

Village by village

The vineyards spread across 11 villages in the Campiña Segoviana, nestled between the Voltoya and Eresma river basins. This is a vast plateau with gentle slopes that fade into Tierra de Pinares, where pine forests coexist with cereal fields and patches of vineyards. The sandy soils, which keep phylloxera at bay, have safeguarded this remarkable vine heritage. The oldest geological layer in the region, known locally as the "Santa María strata", is a Precambrian mountain system composed of slate. Capitel is sourced from this type of soil, which typically produces vibrant wines with lower pH levels.

Winemakers Almudena Calvo and Javier Blasco have been studying the soil diversity across the villages for some time. According to Blasco, their adoption of biodynamic practices –with the first certified vintage set for 2025- has improved their understanding of the vine's root system and its response to different soil types.

As a result, three new single-vineyard wines were introduced from the 2023 vintage, each from a different village. Aldeanueva del Codonal Sendero de San Andrés comes from a 0.24-hectare plot at 860 metres elevation on an alluvial terrace containing pebbles, quartz and quartzite. With notes of ripe white fruit, this is a serious wine with bright acidity and a dry finish. Santiuste de San Juan Bautista Alto Sanchón comes from a slightly larger (0.53-hectare) plot at 800 metres on marl and clay. It is full of character, with sunflower seed aromas and a salty finish. The third wine, Nieva El Cuerno (0.88 hectares), comes from a cooler area with deep sandy soils. It offers abundant dried herb aromas and fine texture, with a saline character, though perhaps lacked further development. These three wines will form a new collection, although none were produced in 2014 due to the severe frost that reduced yields drastically.

Calvo and Blasco describe this as the most extreme region within the Alma Carraovejas portfolio. Spring frosts regularly threaten yields and can drastically alter crop volumes.

The vertical tasting

In our tasting notes below, the wines are listed by vintage, from youngest to oldest, in the order that they were served, mixing samples of Ossian and Capitel.

The winemaking approach has remained consistent. Both wines are fermented and aged for nine to 10 months in oak vessels ranging in size from 228 to 600 litres, as well as in foudres. All fermentations are spontaneous using native yeasts. The wines are sold under the VT Castilla y León designation.

Ossian 2023. This was one of the earliest harvests to date, following early budding and a mild summer, until temperatures became extremely hot in August. The rain in September ensured full ripening. The wine has generous aromas of dried herbs and aniseed, with depth and toasty notes, as well as a saline character. Slightly warm on the palate but with good persistence. Further bottle ageing will provide balance.

Capitel 2023. Aniseed notes also appear, although initially the nose is dominated by hot stone aromas, before turning more perfumed. The saltiness is more pronounced, yet the wine feels fresher despite its greater concentration. Its finesse and texture stand in sharp contrast to Ossian.

Capitel 2022. One of the most fascinating wines of the tasting. The herbal and forest notes were very pronounced, while the mineral and earthy aspects were more subdued. Aromatic yet consistent on the palate, this was a more delicate expression of Capitel. According to Javier Blasco, "slate soils struggle in warm vintages, but they also provide more freshness and tension, and result in lower pH levels". The vintage was characterised by a mild winter, a very warm May which accelerated the cycle, and several heatwaves in summer. However, the wine’s mouthfeel did not taste warm at all. The grapes ripened healthily and beautifully. The Peña Aguda plot, from which Capitel is made, was harvested on 11 September, on root day.

Ossian 2021. A more classic year, particularly in terms of winter temperatures. Storm Filomenablanketed central Spain in snow, and the abundance of water combined with a mild summer resulted in wines with good acidity. Picking ended on 5 October. Concentrated and fresh, with the acidity enhancing its creamy texture, although our bottle felt slightly evolved on the nose.

Capitel 2020.  A year of sharp contrasts: unusually warm temperatures in January and February, cold weather in March (it snowed on the last day of the month) and a rainy, mild May that ensured good vegetative growth. A hot, dry summer brought healthy, well-balanced grapes that were slightly riper than in 2021. The harvest was completed on 30 September. This vintage marked a turning point, with the reintroduction of separate fermentation by plots. By then, the number of vineyards owned by the winery had increased significantly.

More reticent at first, but full of promise. In terms of style, it sat between 2023 and 2022, offeringwhite fruit and herbal notes. On the palate, it was somewhat restrained yet serious, with good structure, a creamy texture and a tight mid-palate that still needed to develop.

Ossian 2019. Considered an average year, albeit slightly warmer. Ample water reserves and favourable ripening pushed harvesting to typical dates  (16 September to 2 October). The wine displayed honeyed notes and ripe fruit, with oxidative nuances adding complexity and combining richness and freshness. While perhaps less attractive in terms of texture, it was lifted by a refined herbal background that maintained the high level of the tasting.

Capitel 2018. This was a rainy year, with two major snowfalls in January but, unlike in 2017, no severe frosts. The warm, dry summer allowed for optimal ripening, and the harvest took place comfortably between 20 September and 10 October. A striking wine:  honeyed and mushroom aromas, sweet fruit on entry, then a sudden shift into savoury sensations before delivering an overwhelmingly saline finish. This vintage also featured a new, more informative label, displaying the names of the village (Nieva) and vineyard (Peña Aguda), along with the words “Viñas viejas de Segovia” (Old vines from Segovia).

Capitel 2016. The frost in mid-May drastically reduced yields, and the lack of rain alongside high temperatures in September diminished them further.

Despite this, it was one of the most exciting vintages of the tasting. Though notably ripe, it was livelier and rounder than the 2018 vintage, with subtle toasted nuances such as sunflower seeds reminiscent of Burgundy whites. This toasted profile lingered on the palate, complemented by the brand's signature saline character and persistence. A serious wine in excellent condition.

Ossian 2015. The vintage had many similarities with 2016, particularly with regard to frost damage, which affected the vineyard unevenly, and the  last part of the cycle, when high temperatures and dry conditions resulted in greater concentration. The wine showed one of the best evolutions of the tasting, offering a reliable drinking window of 10 years. It had saline notes reminiscent of Capitel, wrapped in an enveloping texture. On the other hand, the savoury consistency merged beautifully with the wine's toasted notes and mature character.

Capitel 2014. This was one of the highlights of the tasting, marked by a pronounced toasted character and petrol notes over a background of dried herbs. The palate was also deeply toasty and had a viscous, almost slippery texture. Intense and complex, albeit slightly less saline than other vintages. It was a favourite for many tasters, though I personally preferred the 2016 vintage. The growing season was marked by a slight frost in May and rain during the harvest, although it was generally a dry vintage. Picking took place between 22 September and 10 October, and despite the rain, the grapes ripened fully.

Ossian 2013. This cold and rainy vintage was one of the most challenging ever for the winery. A severe frost in May reduced yields significantly and relentless rain during the harvest caused outbreaks of botrytis. Despite careful selection, the wine is markedly different, with notes of sweet fruit —almost as though there were some residual sugar. To a certain extent, it reminded us of some Central European whites.

Ossian 2012. Better preserved than 2013,with aniseed and herbal notes and attractive  tension on the palate. It was more aromatic than structured, with an exotic hint of ginger on the finish. This vintage was also affected by frost, though the hot, dry summer favoured excellent ripening.

Ossian 2009. After a rainy winter and spring, the summer was hot and dry, with no rainfall during the harvest. This has resulted in a wine that shows signs of development, with nutty and lightly oxidised notes. It is nearing the edge, yet still retains some character.