[caption id="attachment_1298" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="The `New´Bodega in Benlloch."] [/caption]   It is always a pleasure to visit a new project at its birth, or at least shortly afterwards and Banús looks as though it will be somewhere to visit regularly over the coming years! Banús is the project of José Luis Sanchéz, who I first met in January when I went to the Best Wines in Castellon fair. Then he was making wines for Clos D´esgarracordes, Baron D´Alba in nearby Les Useres. Previously this four times former  champion and twice runner-up in the National Wine tasting competition in Spain has worked across the country in different collaborations, including a spell with Antonio Banderas and recently in Castilla La Mancha and Valdepeñas amongst others. José Luis is an expert in the making of Moscatel based wines and credited with pioneering the fermentation of dry white wines from the variety. Having settled in Castellon, looking for a new project  he rolled up at the old village co-op in Benlloch where Agrotaula were selling off the relatively new equipment in the 1957 built bodega with its 3 million litre capacity. [caption id="attachment_1300" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Saints Abdon and Senen."] [/caption]   The old bodega of Saints Abdon and Senen was built in happier times when Castellon and Benlloch held much more favour than today. The story runs that the locals would turn up on Sundays to build their new Co-op. Legend tells that the Persians, Abdon and Senen were Christians captured by the Romans around 250AD and beheaded by the emperor ( hence their symbols of the sword) after a rather more gruesome death in the arena with lions and bears failed because the animals would not play ball! They are credited with the miracle of keeping heavy storms with hailstones away and they do say that there has never been a hailstorm in Benlloch´s vineyards! Traditionally Benlloch is the best wine growing area in Castellon with it´s  red soils, a mixture of sand and limestone. [caption id="attachment_1301" align="alignleft" width="112" caption="Site of the New Shop and tasting Area."] [/caption] Until 1980 it produced good wines but then the powers that be ordained that the hybrid grapes had to be re-planted with noble varieties trailed on wires ( en espalda). Many of the local growers could simply not afford to comply and grubbed their vines up. In the last ten years there has been a growing interest in reviving viticulture and this led to Agrotaula buying the bodega in 2007, lining the walls with insulation, installing state of the art pumping systems and stainless steel tanks. However by 2009 they were concentrating their efforts elsewhere and this was the last vintage made there. So when José Luis turned up to buy the equipment and saw the potential in the Bodega itself he offered to lease it, initially for a period of ten years. He has major plans for modernising parts of it and using them as part of his longer term plans in eno-tourism. The old reception area where the grapes were discharged will be stripped out and turned into a shop and tasting area whilst the void underneath which runs the length of the bodega will become the barrel cellar. Internally the old deposits will be painted but the bodega is generally not in bad condition. He runs the bodega with assistant Francisco, who has worked for both Bocoi and Vega Sicilia.   [caption id="attachment_1302" align="alignright" width="112" caption="Inside the Bodega."] [/caption] For vineyards, José Luis has made arrangements with the enthusiastic revivalists where they produce the grapes to his specification, including all aspects from pruning and size of production to when to pick. Everything is being done in an ecological manner and from this year biodynamically, that is according to the moons phases. He has access to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, Monastrell and Garnacha as well as some new experimental parcels of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Gewurtztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling covering 50 hectares. He pays for the grapes according to the quality of what he receives and of course has the opportunity to reject them if they don't meet the required standards. On arrival the grapes are weighed, sorted outside and then pumped through the new equipment to the appropriate tanks for later fermentation. The oak barrels for the first 2011 vintage have yet to arrive so the wines made from this years harvest are sitting in holding tanks, settling after their recent fermentation, each variety  destined to be aged separately in fine grain French oak with medium to medium+ toasting.   [caption id="attachment_1303" align="alignleft" width="112" caption="The Young Rosado."] [/caption] The bodega has eight, 15 thousand litre stainless steel tanks, as well as two floors of concrete deposits with epoxy resin painted liners for the malolactic fermentations. It seemed a good point to commence tasting those wines which are in various states of settling and clarification. We started with a light rosado from Garnacha ( 50%) with the balance being made up equally of Monastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% ABV. This is a very pale pink, in the French style, with a quite closed nose...a feature of almost all of the wines we were to taste. Evolution in bottle will change this. In the mouth the trademark touch of carbonic gas gives the wine a bit of bite, but it was clear there was some body there as well. I am looking forward to this when it is released in time for Xmas.   [caption id="attachment_1305" align="alignright" width="112" caption="The Merlot, Deep in Colour!"] [/caption] Next we tasted the Garnacha, a youthful purple, and 14% ABV with long legs. This has a nice touch of fruit in the mouth, smooth tannins and a touch of minerality in the finish. Third wine was the Merlot, at 14% ABV this was purple with blue hints, very deep and concentrated and with long glycerinous legs. In the mouth it is reminiscent of Northern rather than Mediterranean merlot, less jammy than expected, and without the bitter finish. This will evolve well in barrel and has lots of power and depth making it a wine with potential to lay down. Fourth wine was the Monastrell which had only finished its fermentation on the fourth of November. Considered a difficult grape to grow in the region the colour was very similar to the Merlot. In the mouth cherry, liquorice, and great depth this is another wine with great potential. The Cabernet Sauvignon at 14% ABV was also a similar colour with good legs and on the nose screamed peppers...not green but not ripe red either, somewhere between the two!. In the mouth explosive, lots of fruit and a wine which passes easily across the mouth, quite forward with more evolution than might have been expected.   [caption id="attachment_1306" align="alignleft" width="112" caption="José Luis Sanchéz and the Syrah!"] [/caption] Sixth wine was the Tempranillo, 14.75% ABV and a little more purple in colour with very long legs. Spiky fruit in the mouth, with a touch of sweetness, well structured and destined after ageing for a coupage (or blend). Last of this years wines was the Syrah, a very special wine in José Luis´ view. This had more colour even than the Tempranillo, More violet, blue, aubergine ( in Spanish, purpura cardenelicia) sweet on the nose , boiled sweets. In the mouth sweet fruit, huge amounts of liquorice and smoke and perfectly balanced. Another wine with huge potential. To demonstrate this we retired to the nearby `La Bodegetta´restaurant for lunch where José Luis produced a 2005 pure Syrah, Anea,  from Casaquemada, a vino de tierra de Castilla La Mancha. This was a wine of intensity, huge depth which evolved in the glass, full of blackcurrant, cassis, a wine which reminded me in its potential of a Northern Rhone such as Hermitage. Incidentally this restaurant produced a stunning bread accompaniment and an Olla, a traditional local stew with pigs ear, black pudding, cardo stalks, ( a type of artichoke) potato, chickpeas, saffron and lots more! Highly recommended if you are in the area.   [caption id="attachment_1307" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Olla in La Bodegatta."] [/caption] We discussed his plans which, apart from the re-building work and attracting visitors from the tourist centres of Orpesa and Marina D´Or nearby, not to mention Castellon´s  new airport, included a desire to make wine such as that we had drunk with lunch and recuperate Moscatel as a variety locally. The rosado will go on sale for Xmas, followed by a light crianza red. In the meantime this years reds will age in barrel until José Luis considers them right for blending or sale as single varietals. All will be sold under the Banús label, IGP Vinos de Terra de Castellon. On the basis of what I tasted the wines will be an instant success and Castellon has another bodega with the potential to make truly great and long-lived wines. I intend watching the progress of the bodega, watched over by it´s saints and hoping to visit and taste with José Luis on many occasions in the future.   [caption id="attachment_1308" align="aligncenter" width="79" caption="Assistant Francisco Bottles samples for a Future Tasting."] [/caption]      

[caption id="attachment_1059" align="alignleft" width="112" caption="`Lighthouse´ Style Tower at Torre Oria."] [/caption]   I have visited Torre Oria, the bodega situated in El Derramador,near Requena, before. The first time was many years ago in company of some visitors from England and long before the blog was born. Otherwise I have popped in occasionally to obtain  the odd bottle or two for tastings as several of their generic wines show good grape characteristics. The bodega was founded by the family Oria de Rueda from Galicia about a hundred years ago.  The original house and office buildings form a courtyard  so that a tour is started on one side and ends in the tasting room on the other side having visited the extensive cellars which are contained directly underneath. The old deposits are no longer in use and a huge new building behind the bodega now contains the  new stainless steel deposits , huge barrel park and storage for the hundreds of thousands of bottles which the bodega produces and ages.   [caption id="attachment_1061" align="alignright" width="112" caption="In the Old House."] [/caption] The original building with it´s Galician style `lighthouse´ tower was designed by José Donderis and is now a National Historic Monument. In the early 1980´s the bodega was bought by a group of married couples from the area who created the new Cooperativa `La Solidaridad´. Of these some had experience in Champagne and Cava manufacture and it was their intention to make cava at the bodega. Of course this was not popular with the Cava producers, then exclusively situated in Catalunya and a long court case was needed before the Judges ruled that Cava was a style of wine, not a geographically defined area where it was made, and thus allowed Requena to make Cava together with one bodega in Turis, Castell dels Sorrells.   [caption id="attachment_1063" align="alignleft" width="86" caption="Christina, the Tour Guide and Some of the Bottles in the Cellar."] [/caption] From 25,000 bottles initially today the bodega produces around six million bottles yearly. In 1991 the Bodega was bought by Group Natra who provided capital for it´s huge modernisation and new management.  The underground warehouse is some 2,400 sq metres, holding the barrels, with another holding the cavas in crianza and bottling line. The bodega grows Macabeo, Bobal,Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Garnacha  and Merlot. The tour starts in the courtyard and moves into the old house, still sporting its original decoration. From here you move directly to the old bodega with its huge deposits, now used for ageing cava many bottles of which sit in the pupitres ready to be turned before disgorging and sale. Down below you move to the huge storage areas where cava sits `en rima´ or on the lees some of it for up to six years as they produce a `Centenario´ to commemorate the centenary of the founding of the original bodega. Via a series of staircases you visit the barrel park with its heady smell of oak and wine, the underground warehouse where the reserves, crianzas etc are ageing and  where the huge numbers of bottles of cava are stored. Here you will see the wine resting on its yeasts, gently breaking down and adding proteins. Passing the new bottling line you return to the tasting room lined with Valencian art and containing a bar and hospitality suite as well as the bodegas shop.   [caption id="attachment_1065" align="alignright" width="150" caption="The Barrel Park."] [/caption] On this occasion we had tagged along with a group of visitors organised through Salas Granados in Valencia. On such tours visitors are invited to sample three wines from Torre Oria´s extensive range. First of these was a Brut Cava 12% ABV `Marques de Requena´which is made from the bodegas Macabeo. This is a floral wine with green apples and melon on the nose and with good attack and fruit in the mouth with fine persistent bubbles and good acidity. This sells at 4.80€ a bottle. Second was the bodegas Rosado 2010 which is 100% Bobal. Actually this is quite a full coloured rosado, an intense cherry red with long legs and on the nose unmistakable strawberry and cream and vanilla scents. In the mouth it is fresh and quite full, a very satisfying smooth, creamy wine with a long finish. This sells for 2.80€ a bottle at the bodega. Finally we tasted the Tinto Crianza from Tempranillo also from the `Marques de Requena´range. A medium density cherry red wine with long legs, unmistakably tempranillo on the nose with toasty and creamy notes from the crianza and malolactic fermentation in barrel. In the mouth smooth, elegant a very pleasant easy drinker. Like all the wines in the bodega there is an offer whereby if you buy six bottles of any wine you only pay for five.   [caption id="attachment_1067" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Some of the Valencian Artwork in the Tasting Room."] [/caption] The bodega produces several different ranges of wines  some of which I have reviewed elsewhere in earlier posts but this visit was not an appropriate time for an extensive tasting. I hope to visit again soon to discuss these other wines with the winemakers. Torre Oria´s wines are amongst the more easy to find in the Valencia area and are sold in Carrefour and Al Campo. The bodega is a good example of a large organisation producing volume wines and is well worth a visit which can be arranged directly by telephone.  

[caption id="attachment_994" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The archeologist explains to the bloggers....."] [/caption] In April of 2010 I posted on the application by Utiel-Requena for UNESCO heritage status for the  archeological remains of an early excavated stone trough in the Hoces de Cabriel National park which had been dated to the Iberian age, roughly the same as the Iron age in the UK. In April of this year I updated after a special Conference had been held which catapulted that application towards it´s acceptance which hopefully will be declared next year. Last weekend in the company of the archeologist, fellow bloggers  and the communications department of DO Utiel-Requena I was fortunate enough to visit the site myself. This now consists of rather more than an old stone trough which had been hollowed out to allow the grapes to be trodden. In fact it is now much more evident and in context with its surroundings which have been more extensively excavated and explored allowing a fuller understanding of the remains. The site of the excavation is in a hillside above a dry river bed, a tributary of the Cabriel and not far from an early road which connected the interior to the coast and was used by the ancient people as a major communications route. The Phoenicians who travelled extensively in Europe arrived in the seventh century before Christ bringing wine-making with them. This site has been dated to the fifth century before Christ from the carbon dating of pips found at the dig. [caption id="attachment_995" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The stone trough."] [/caption] As part of the exploration further stone troughs have been discovered in the area but at Las Pilillas there is also extensive evidence that the site was actually a dedicated bodega. The stone troughs sit above a series of terraces which are still being uncovered but clearly visible now are the stone walls of a large building. This is too large to have been a dwelling ( other excavations have determined the style and size of dwellings at the time) and interior excavation has brought to light fragments of amphorae, the traditional fermenting and storage vessels. This bodega would have had a roof as it is believed the stone troughs did, allowing those treading the grapes to enjoy some shelter from the sun. The fragments of amphorae which have been found were fired in kilns located not far away from which several hundred pieces have been reconstructed and carbon dating has shown them to be contemporary. Wine making in the area has continued this traditional pattern  from treading the grapes in troughs and fermentation and storage in terracotta right through the Roman period until the middle of the 19th century when the agricultural revolution took hold. It is not known when the site was abandoned but the nearby town of Requena has underground caves some of which still have the large terracotta tinajas for fermentation together with the pipes through which the grape juice was fed from the pressing in the houses above. These caves were used initially as a defensive measure but were being used as bodegas by the 14th century . In any case there is a demonstrably provable case that wine making has been undertaken in the region continuously since this bodega was created making it one of the earliest such sites on the Iberian Peninsular. [caption id="attachment_996" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The bodega set into a terrace."] [/caption] Sadly the original vineyards have not yet been located nor has it yet been possible to identify the grape variety but I suspect I am not the only one who hopes it may one day turn out to be Bobal. The archeological site can be visited and sits beside a popular walking track. The caves of the old town  of Requena are also open with guided  tours available and are well worth the visit. If you would like to see more I recommend Paco Alonso´s www.pigtv.es ¨The origen of Wine in Spain.¨  

Mas Nou, is almost a Californian style property set on the slopes overlooking the Pla de Vilafames and the nearby town and with uninterrupted views to  Penyagolosa, one of the highest peaks in the Valencian Community. With its neatly terraced vineyards, all capable of being lit at night, olive groves, some with thousand-year old trees, almonds, lake,  pine groves and palms this is one of the most spectacular looking wine making properties I have visited. Owned by Fernando Diago this dream property is a vineyard based on a dream of making wines which truly express the Mediterranean spirit with its hot sunny days, cool, breeze fed nights and the smells of wild herbs and aromatic plants. [caption id="attachment_941" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="The Mas Nou."] [/caption] You might be forgiven for thinking that the vineyards date back to times when Castellon was a hugely important exporter of wine to the UK, France and elsewhere ...and whilst the Mas itself is old with its own chapel.....the vineyards were only planted in about 1998, producing the first wine in 2002. The estate consists of some 40 hectares in total, 26 down to vineyard with the rest landscaped beautifully and with its own private bull-ring with white sand brought from Seville and even space for domesticated jabali´s! Of course after phylloxera devastated the vineyards at the beginning of the 20th century, all the vines were grubbed up. When vineyard planting began again later in the century the Controlling body only allowed noble varieties with their disease resistant American rootstocks to be planted and many growers abandoned their vineyards for ever or turned to growing table grapes instead. Señorio de Vilafames is thus another of the vineyards in Castellon leading the fightback for this once great wine-producing area. We arrived in Vilafames early so went to buy a sweet wine produced locally before going to the Bodega....only to meet our hosts, Ana and José outside the same bar to which we were heading for coffee! Inside we bumped into Gabriel Mayo Garcia whose bodega we had visited earlier this year. Once in the Mas Nou´s grounds we walked around the property over its manicured lawns and under the trees to see the different parcels of vines and understand the environment better. The chapel with its cross engraved above the door ( the arms of the Kings of Jerusalem and now one of the catholic orders of Knights, )is available for baptisms and visitors to the bodega can arrange to have meals either in the vineyard or on one of the many terraces. [caption id="attachment_942" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Some of the terraced vineyard."] [/caption] Currently they grow Tempranillo, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay and there are plans to extend the vineyards down towards the Pla de Vilafames in a couple of years time. Fernando is also a co-owner of a property in Utiel-Requena and it is from here he draws on the winemaking skills of Louis Gil-Orozco at Finca Ardal. The grounds are almost ecologically managed, the wild plants that grow between the vines being chopped to form a green manure but also as a mulch to retain water. The vines are irrigated and incorporate a management system which allows vitamins or iron to be fed directly to areas where the plants may be showing distress or deficiencies. After our walk around accompanied by a quartet of dachshunds, we sat down under a pin oak with the sound of the fountain in the lake behind us, to taste some of the wines produced. It should be said that a lot of the grapes from the vineyard are sold in bulk to Valencia to make wine elsewhere and only the best parcels are retained to make the flagship red, Fernando Diago, of which more later. [caption id="attachment_943" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="A View towards Vilafames."] [/caption] Through `Dos de Copas´, the bodega has found an innovative and clever marketing ploy to sell four varietals in a box , Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, in bottles containing just two glasses of each wine. This allows purchasers to enjoy the different wines at home, either as a tasting or as wines to accompany different dishes. This strategy has proved very popular and I first encountered it in January at the Castellon wine-fair ( see earlier post). It has not extended into restaurants but clearly there is a huge potential development here. Part of the purpose of the visit was to taste the two new cavas which will be launched next week, just as soon as permanent  labels arrive! First wine therefore was a Cava, Rosado, a blend of Garnacha  and Pinot Noir which is 11.5%ABV. Deep strawberry in colour this has fine persistent bubbles, is clean and bright with a good crown initially. On the nose it is creamy, hints of yeast, lots of red fruit, raspberries, fresh and in the mouth an immediate hit of fresh fruits, lovely acidity, fresh, crisp and with a long finish. We tasted this with chorizo, and soft cheese for which it is a perfect accompaniment, as it will be with paella and arroces. The bottle sported its provisional lable...see the picture! [caption id="attachment_944" align="alignright" width="225" caption="The new Cava Rosado with provisional lable."] [/caption] The second wine was the Brut Nature, a blend of Chardonnay and Macabeo and also 11.5% ABV. Pale lemon yellow, clean and bright and also with fine persistent bubbles and a good crown. On the nose initially a little wet wool, then white flowers and green apples. In the mouth soft, smooth, initially light, but refreshing, an easy drinker. Both wines are the sort that invite you back for another sip...even another glass and will prove popular when they hit the market! However there is only a limited amount of initial production.....just a couple of thousand bottles of each! Finally we tasted the Fernando Diago 2006, the bodegas flagship red. This is a Vino de Autor, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah with a touch of Tempranillo in the blend. This is a lovely bright cherry colour with hints of violet at the edge, medium density, with long glycerinous legs. On the nose red and black fruits, fruits of the forest and cherry. In the mouth very full, fruity and fresh, soft tannins, meaty and with a long fruity finish. This wine proved very popular at May´s Vino-Valencia  presentation. A visit to the property takes your breath away and you are assured of a friendly welcome as the philosophy is to create long term friends of the bodega. Our thanks go to Ana and José for an informative visit and to Fernando, who sadly could not be there, for allowing us the opportunity. [caption id="attachment_945" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="A Tasting under the Trees!"] [/caption]  

2011 and the round of new visits has commenced. Yesterday I followed a well beaten path to the Bodega of Vicente Flors Marti near the small town of Les Useres in Castellon Province. I had  tasted his 2007 Clotàs at a Vino-Valencia event last April ( now sold out) and a couple of friends had told me about his devotion to recovering old vineyards, bringing them back into production and making great wines as well. [caption id="attachment_486" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Bodega Flors"] [/caption]      The vineyard parcels, and there are several adding up in total to 10 Hectares are spread around the Rambla de la Viuda between the towns of La Barona and Les Useres near to Vall d´Alba . Vicente himself has not made wine all his life. A banker by profession he took over some parcels and his grandfathers old bodega just a few years back. His grandfather had worked the land and made wine all of which had been sold to bulk wine buyers. The wines produced were high in alcohol and used to reinforce lesser wines elsewhere. The bodega itself dates back to the 18th century and is undergoing restoration. Vicente hopes in time to restore it fully and to extend into the burnt out portion at the back, creating a wine-making area and visitor centre. At present apart from a small barrel store in the old bodega the whole production process after picking takes place in a new facility shared with two other small bodegas. In this respect Vicente is no different to the growing number of small producers in Castellon, struggling to revive a wine growing tradition. It is hardly credible that just 100 years ago Castellon sent record amounts of wine abroad. Then came phylloxera, the authorities only allowed replanting with new and noble varieties and scores of vineyards simply went out of production, the vines abandoned to their fate. [caption id="attachment_488" align="alignright" width="300" caption="New Garnacha plantings."] [/caption] As we arrived Vicente offered to take us around these parcels to show us the different varieties he currently has. It immediately became obvious just how much abandoned land there was interspersed with Vicente´s freshly ploughed parcels of neat vines. Many ramshackle small buildings in various stages of decay, some with their old troughs for treading the grapes, dotted the landscape. Vicente´s 10 hectares are comprised currently of Tempranillo (8) Cabernet Sauvignon and Monastrell (1 each) plus the new small plantings of Garnacha. The soil is poor and stony consisting of rich red sand and river gravel, the latter reaching a somwhat larger size the closer to the edge of the Rambla that the vineyard is located. In some places the vineyards almost appear white because of the concentration of stone. This does make the land free draining. I asked Vicente if the stone helped the maturing  of the fruit towards harvest time as they retained the sun's heat releasing it at night. He said that over time he and other local growers had come to the conclusion that the local micro climate was more effective. It is better for the vines to cool at night in the sea breezes but of course, as a result, he is for ever clearing stone from the parcels. His vines have some age, the Monastrell being up to 70 years old, the Tempranillo 30 years old and the Cabernet Sauvignon only around 6 years old. However  the Monastrell is difficult to harvest as it either over-produces or the rain comes at the wrong time. Some also are weak. However as we went around the plots Vicente showed us a parcel he had bought where the original vines were all but dead, abandoned some time ago. He had brought them back into production over three to four years and this year they had produced grapes again.  [caption id="attachment_490" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Cabernet Sauvignon trained `en espalda´."] [/caption] These were Monastrell and Vicente explained how they were treated during the year. He only allows the vine to produce between 1-2 kilos of grapes each, small tight bunches. So they are pruned `en vaso.´ This allows the top growth to turn over on itself to provide shade. The East and South facing sides of the plants are left alone, whilst the North side of the plant has more of the leaves removed. The reason for this is twofold, firstly it allows the breezes to penetrate the plant allowing cooling at night and protecting in part against mildew. But , secondly if the mildew attacks, then he can spray directly into the plant with copper or sulphur. The entire vineyard is ecologically managed and Vicente is one of a growing number employing the lunar calendar to dictate what happens and when.  Even the manure from local cattle is ecological with their feed being chemical free. Otherwise Vicente uses natural vegetation and waste from the winemaking process to feed his vines. The Cabernet Sauvignon was planted about 6 years ago and was harvested for the first time this year. The wine is currently in barrel and Vicente is watching it´s progress  with interest. His CS vines were the first planted in the area and the first to be planted `en espalda´. We were also shown a parcel of old Tempranillo vines where Vicente had experimented with `pasificacíon´or the natural drying of grapes on the vine to concentrate the juices which then make a sweet wine. Vicente is a sometime pupil at the wine school in Requena and was telling us how this year they had made a sweet red from Bobal as part of the course. These concentrated grapes (literally raisins ) need a very slow and careful pressing over 4-5 days. Sadly he does not possess such a press so making his own Vino Dulce is some way off, sadly as the flavour was intense and sweet with a Baum of 84 degrees. [caption id="attachment_493" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Antique press in the old Bodega."] [/caption] The harvest takes place in October when Vicente believes the fruit has reached optimum maturity. The grapes are collected in 12 kilo boxes, not filled to the top to prevent unwanted pressing during transport and oxidation. The grapes are also transported to the nearby bodega in a refrigerated lorry at 4 degrees. After an initial selection in the vineyard by manual picking, they undergo a second selection in the bodega before being stripped of the leaves and stalks and pumped into a deposit holding around 10k kilos  and maintained at 4 degrees until the harvest is complete. Vicente has 3 deposits, two for Tempranillo and 1 for Cabernet sauvignon. First alcoholic fermentation takes place in these deposits before a gentle pressing takes place and the wine is pumped to a second deposit for the malolactic fermentation. We could feel the heat of this second fermentation on the walls of the deposit. The wine is then transferred to wooden barrels, a mixture of French and American oak. Vicentes 2007 Clotàs is now sold out although he has sensibly retained some for comparison over future years. His 2008 is currently on sale and the 2009 is in barrel. However this year sees the release of Vicentes second wine, Flor de Clotàs 2009, a younger style of wine which will be formally released at a prestigious launch next Wednesday in Valencia! We moved from the new bodega back to the old one where Vicente has his tasting room to look at both wines. We started with the new wine Flor de Clotàs, 2009. This is 95% Tempranillo and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with 5 months in oak. [caption id="attachment_495" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Flor de Clotàs and Clotàs in the tasting room."] [/caption] At 13.5% ABV this was a light cherry red of medium density with good long legs. On the nose it was youthful, with cherry fruit and red currants, refreshing and light. It passed easily across the palate a nice fruity red with some depth and more body than the colour may have indicated. The wine was served chilled and we returned to it over lunch later. As it had warmed up so had it opened and filled out. In doing so it had turned into a much more full-bodied wine than expected and one which clearly will be versatile as a summer drinking red served cold but capable of standing up to some challenging food served at room temperature. Vicente took us to CalParadis in nearby Vall dÀlba for lunch, who happened to have an artichoke themed menu this month. Now, normally artichokes and wine are not a match made in heaven. This wine stood up perfectly to a soup with artichoke and embutidos, a False Ravioli of artichoke and raw prawn and arroz meloso de galeras also containing artichokes. The Clotàs 2008 also 13.5% ABV and pure Tempranillo is a powerhouse of a wine. Deep cherry red, opaque with long legs that colour the glass. It also has a violet edge. On the nose it is has immense potential, which you can smell as the cork is withdrawn. A touch vegetal then ripe fruit, red and black . The wine needs lots of air to release the scents and I would decant at least an hour before serving. As it opens you sense the spices emerging, cinnamon, vanilla and later cloves. Finally in the mouth the power of the fruit and tannins is softened by a milky smoothness as it passes over the tongue leaving a long full soft but satisfying finish. This is so much better than the 2007. [caption id="attachment_496" align="alignright" width="197" caption="Vicente Flors Marti in the old bodega."] [/caption] Both wines are testament to a dedication to winemaking, a willingness to learn and a passion for what Vicente is trying to acheive. There are only 5k bottles of the Flor and around 10k of the 2008 Clotàs so small production means expanding the vineyard, the range of wines and the further restoration projects sit very much in the lap of the gods and the weather and can only proceed a small bit at a time. With a Cabernet Sauvignon in barrel and a Monastrell which may yet make it onto the market there is hope that the range of wines will soon expand. I cannot see the current small production being available for  long and thoroughly recommend you buy them at the first opportunity....it may be your only opprtunity! It will be September before the 2009 Vintage of Clotàs is released. Vicente showed us around, driving around the parcels in his four x four criss-crossing the dry riverbed and its banks so that we missed nothing of this exciting emerging property. As a result we had a thoroughly entertaining and informative visit! Thank you Vicente!.  

[caption id="attachment_396" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Castell dels Sorells near Turis"] [/caption] The `Artesan´cava Bodega of Castell dels Sorells sits on the road from Godelleta to Picassent  which winds it´s way through orange groves, kaki trees and seemingly abandoned parcels of vines in the DO Valencia. It takes its name ( Sorells) from the Valencian name for Horse Mackerel or Scad, which are incorporated into the shield of arms. In fact the Bodega is a modern installation dating to around 1980 and is a perfect copy outside of the Castell in Albalat dels Sorells North of Valencia dating to the xvth century. Although the Soler family who own the property  began the enterprise in the latter location they decided to up sticks and move into the DO Valencia area ( and specifically Turis ). Neither DO Valencia nor DO Utiel Requena had a right to make Cava at this time and it was this bodega and Torre Oria in Requena who pioneered the move towards DO Cava for the area taking a monumental legal action to stop the blocking moves of the Catalans who wanted to keep DO Cava status for themselves. In 1983 the first toast using a Valencian Cava was made here at the Castell followed three months later  in Requena at Torre Oria. Today cava production in DO Utiel Requena is commonplace but not much is made elsewhere in the Turis area of DO Valencia. None is of the style and standard reached by Castell dels Sorells to whose installation I had been invited by Francisco Javier Lázaro their agent in Spain. [caption id="attachment_398" align="alignright" width="184" caption="Julio Martínez, Winemaker and International Agent"] [/caption] It was Julio who conducted my tour firstly explaining some of the history of the Bodega. They do not own their own vineyards other than a parcel of Moscatel  which are not used in their winemaking process. They have a developed relationship with a number of local growers, friends as Julio described them, with whom they work to develop quality grapes before buying them in. The four grape varieties used are Chardonnay, Xarel-Lo, Parrelada and Macabeo. The elaboration method is absolutely that followed by the Champenoise to make Champagne. On arrival the boxes of grapes are selected depending on quality for use in one or other of the cuvées, the best being destined for Satén, the top cuvé or the Gran Reserva Brut Nature. First fermentation takes place in one of the stainless steel or fibreglass vats, the latter being gradually replaced by the former as temperature control in fermentation is crucial. In early February when this finished a second fermentation is commenced in bottle.  These are sealed with a crown cork and sent down to the cellar nine metres underground where the  temperature is a constant 15 degrees. The bottles are placed en rima in walls down the length of the bodega and currently holds about 400k bottles of wine dating to every vintage since 2003. Here the second fermentation takes place slowly and in a cold environment, crucial for the eventual development of the wine and particularly the small bubbles which define quality cava. Julio however says this can be a dangerous place to be in the first month after the new vintage is cellared. As the bottles often hold a pressure of more than 8 atmospheres it is not unusual for them to burst and set off like rockets across the cellar! The exact blend of grape varieties depends on whether the cava is Brut, Brut Nature, Reserva, Gran reserva or Cuvé. And of course Trepat is used for the Rosado cavas made here as well. [caption id="attachment_400" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Some bottles from the 2006 Vintage en rima and in palette."] [/caption] Here the bottles will rest for a minimum of nine months during which the yeast will cause the second fermentation. After this a further six months for the Brut is needed before it can be put into palettes to shake the yeast down into the neck. By this time it has started to break down and add proteins to the wine. Each palette holds 216 bottles which are turned twice a day and shaken for two months until the yeast has collected over the crown cork in an upside down bottle. For the Reserva the period on the lees is at least 15 months and for the Gran Reserva at least 30 months. In the case of Gran Reserva, for example,  this is not the end of the process. Just because the wine has spent the due time on the lees does not automatically make it a Gran reserva. Now it has to be submitted to DO Cava where an exhaustive analysis takes place as well as a taste test. Only if the wine passes these two tests will the DO award the coveted Gran Reserva stickers for the bottle. In order to meet the test the DO send staff to the bodega. They select two bottles and seal them with special labels and plastic cork covers to stop tampering. One of the bottles is taken by them for sampling. The second is retained by the bodega. In the event the first sample fails, the second can be submitted for analysis. Once the wine has passed the appropriate test it goes back upstairs to the bottling room. Here the neck is frozen and the plug of dead yeasts expelled. The bottle is topped up with a previously finished wine which may contain a tiny but differing amount of sugar depending on the style of wine being bottled. [caption id="attachment_402" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Some of the samples retained by the bodega from those submitted to the DO"] [/caption] From here the bottle passes along the line where a high quality Spanish cork is used. This carries a four pointed star on the bottom, the sign of authentic DO Cava.This starts out an even size but the pressure constricts the part in the neck whilst that part above forms the cap of the mushroom shape and incidentally a hermetic seal. The machine  then places a wire cage over the cork and the bottle is cleaned before label and relevant sticker etc are added. Castell dels Sorells also believe in telling the customer when this process has taken place and put the date on the back label. This is an important customer relations exercise. Unlike champagne which benefits and improves with a period in bottle, some for many years, Cava is ready when it is bottled and has a shelf life of not more than a couple of years. For restaurants for example if a bottle is off and has not passed the year after bottling date the customer can return the bottle to the Bodega who will happily replace it! To this end the bodega does not bottle all of a particular style and vintage at the same time. It will bottle up what is asked for by customers and distributors alike which limits the liability. The bodega currently sells a lot of it´s wine in Spain, including Barcelona and Madrid, Burgos, Marbella and the Canaries where of course no cava is made. Japan and Belgium are the chief foreign buyers with China emerging and interest from the two state monopolies of Finland and Canada. [caption id="attachment_404" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="In the tasting room!"] [/caption] The wines produced are multiple award winners giving proof it was needed of the quality of the product and indeed Cava as a traditional method wine. The Brut Reserva and Brut Nature have won silver medals at the top German International Weinpreis competition. Decanter has awarded two Bronze medals to Satén the top wine and a commended to the Brut Reserva and even the French have awarded a Silver at the effervescents du monde competition! The Spanish Guia de Vinos Gourmets awarded the Gran reserva a place in the top five Spanish cavas following a blind tasting. It would have seemed rude not to accept a chance to taste and we started with the Brut Nature Reserva from a bottling completed on 14th september this year. This wine has spent between 15-30 months en rima. This was pale yellow with gold flashes and is incredibly bright. It has a solid mousse, fine persistent small bubbles and on the nose retains the floral notes as well as light toasty notes. It is the Macabeo here which gives the structure ,the Xarel-Lo the fresh acidity whist the Parellada adds the floral notes, unusual in a long aged wine and a result Julio beleives of the cold slow second fermentation. The Chardonnay brings it all together. In the mouth apples yeasts and toastiness, a good attack but a quality mouthful. This would sell for about 9€ a bottle. A second bottle of this at least two years older was then opened. Its exact age was not known as it pre-dated the bottling date policy. It was a little more gold in colour ( the result of initial oxidisation which had also robbed it of the floral notes on the nose). It too had a good mousse and fine persistent bubbles. On the nose a little more toasty which is only to be expected, and apples. In the mouth a long appley finish. Wine like this is not available to buy any longer and a few dwindling bottles are retained to open for discerning clients. The Brut Nature Gran Reserva was the next bottle opened . Bottled on the 28th July this year the wine is from the 2004 vintage, it too was golden yellow, with even finer persistent bubbles and a good mousse. On the nose appley and floral with mature fruit and complexity which comes from the long ageing en rima. In the mouth altogether more refined, subtle and elegant. This sells for around 14€ a bottle depending on which specialist outlet you use, and expect to pay around 25€ in a restaurant.   [caption id="attachment_406" align="alignright" width="225" caption="The functionsuite upstairs"] [/caption] Satén the Bodegas top wine is a special harvest and only made when sufficient quality is found in the grapes. The bodega also possesses a fine banqueting room upstairs where marriages, conventions and even tourist visitors can enjoy a meal. Downstairs in the gardens, amongst the peacocks,  civil marriage ceremonies can be held. There is also a small shop where the bodegas wines can be tasted. ( Tasting notes for some of the other wines are available in my October post covering the fair in L`Alcúdia ). This was a fascinating insight into the workings of a quality cava producer, a family concern and one with a growing future as it carries on winning prizes and expanding it´s place in the market. I am very grateful to the owners and to Francisco and Julio for making the visit a reality and thanks especially to Julio who gave me a detailed and very informative tour from which I learned a lot!