Celler del Roure is an interesting producer in Clariano, in the southwestern corner of the province of Valencia. After completing his agronomy studies, Pablo Calatayud launched the project with his father in the late 1990s. Neither of them had previous experience in wine –the family worked in the furniture industry– but they were eager to grow vines in their homeland.
They started planting Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the grapes of choice in the area at the time. Their first wines, blends of Monastrell and these international grape varieties, found success both in Valencia and abroad. Yet as Pablo Calatayud travelled and gained experience in the wider world of wine, he realised they were heading down the wrong path.
Determined to rediscover the indigenous grapes that had once thrived in their area before phylloxera, he met a local grower who was using his Mandó vines for simple, home-made everyday wine. Mandó stood out for its freshness compared to other local red grapes, so Pablo started grafting his Tempranillo and Merlot vines with Mandó and eventually included it in the blend of his top red, Maduresa.
In 2006 the family bought an estate with 40 hectares under vine in Moixent. The property included an ancient underground cellar with around 100 earthenware jars. A couple of years later, they started maturing some of their wines in them. Pablo and his father were greatly surprised to discover that the amphorae imparted no flavour, allowing the the wines to express remarkable freshness. This was the beginning of a completely new range of red wines made from Mandó, identified by the image of a dragonfly.
According to Pablo Calatayud, Mandó performs well when picked early –the key to producing fresh wines in such a warm area. Their exploration later extended to other late-ripening local varieties being recovered in the region, especially Arcos, which lends wines a lively, energetic punch and complements Mandó perfectly, as well as Forcallà.
The winery owns 60 hectares of vineyards and rents just over 25 more, which cover most of its needs. All are farmed organically. Annual production stands at just over 300,000 bottles.
Tinaja wines
Most wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks but since 2015 the old stone vats, carefully preserved in the cellar, have also been used. After fermentation, the wines are transferred to buried tinajas lined only with a layer of tartaric acid.
The range starts with the entry-level red, Vermell (30,000 bottles, €9). Previously a blend of Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) and Monastrell, since the 2023 vintage it has been made from 70% Mando and 30% Arcos. Safrà (€12, 15,000 bottles), named after saffron –a prized spice grown locally– contains a higher proportion of Arcos, whereas Parotet (€18, 10,000 bottles) increases it further to 70%.
Also in the range is the white Cullerot (50,000 bottles, €9), which means tadpole in Valencian. It is a complex blend of local grapes including Macabeo, Verdil, Malvasía, Pedro Ximénez, Tortosí and Merseguera.
The new premium release, Ferrero i Senís La Pebrella (€30), is made from Arcos and Forcallà grapes grown in two plots with chalky subsoil. The whole clusters are fermented in the stone presses of the old winery and aged in tinajas, complemented by glass demijohns.
Classic wines and rosés
The winery's original range, initially inlcuding international varieties, has evolved towards a more local focus. Les Alcusses (€9.50, 100,000 bottles) is now predominantly Monastrell, blended with Garnacha Tintorera and other international varieties better suited to Mediterranean conditions, such as Syrah and Petit Verdot. In Maduressa (€18, 20,000 bottles), the blend is usually 80% Monastrell alongside Cariñena and Mandó. Accordingly, the style has gradually shifted towards fresher, less alcoholic wines with less extraction.
Mandó also stars in a couple of rosés: the still wine Les Prunes (€12.50) and the pét-nat Les Danses (€19).
Wine tours are available on weekends and public holidays.