Manolo Garrote and Rosalía Molina planted their first vines in 1999. They set up the winery the following year and launched their first wine (just 5,000 bottles) in the 2004 vintage. They currently produce around 150,000 bottles. Their vineyards, among the highest in Spain (1,050m), are located in a plateau surrounded by mountains in the village of Landete in Cuenca (Central Spain). All of them carry the DO Manchuela label.

Altitude was the key factor in the choice of grape varieties, some of them rather unusual in Spain like Malbec and Cabernet Franc or white Petit Manseng. They also grow red Garnacha, Syrah, Touriga Nacional (red) as well as Chardonnay, Muscat a Petit Grains (white) and local red grape Bobal which shows less rusticity and finer tannins at this location.

Thanks to the late ripening conditions provided by the high altitude, the wines are distinctively aromatic and fresh. Around 30% of the crop is transformed into wine; the rest is sold as certified organic grapes. Altolandón obtained the vegan wine certification in December 2015. Fermentation takes place with natural yeasts, filtration and clarification are not carried out and sulfites are added only prior to bottling. 80% of the wines are sold abroad.

The wines

Among the estate’s most distinctive wines is Doña Leo (€9.5), a dry Muscat a Petit Grains with some depth which was first released in the 2014 vintage. Altolandon (€12) is an unctuous blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Petit Manseng fermented and aged in 500-litre casks with pronounced citrus aromas. The fun and refreshing pet nat Con Altura (€16) uses Doña Leo as its base wine offering an untamed version of this Muscat.  

The reds start with the entry-level Irrepetible (€9) which was first produced in the 2013 vintage. A blend of Syrah and Malbec, Irrepetible is aged for seven months in oak barrels and showcases the trademark aromatic intensity and freshness of this producer. Also in this price range is the Mil Historias single-varietal collection, which includes red Tempranillo, Syrah, Malbec, Garnacha and Bobal wines, as well as an orange blend.

One of the most distinctive reds is Rayuelo (€13), a fragrant, less tannic Bobal than those grown at lower elevation. The flagship Altolandon (€20) is a blend of Syrah, Garnacha and Cabernet Franc aged for 20 months in barrel, but the oak is not dominant and tannins are fine. The range also includes several single-varietal reds made from Malbec (L’Ame, €20) Cabernet Franc (CF de Alto Landón, €20, a vibrant, floral, fruit-driven red) and Garnacha. The latter is a vibrant, floral, fruit-driven red named after the winemaker (Altolandon by Rosalía, €21). Grapes are sourced from a very old, ungrafted plot with many missing plants.