2 minute read
VITICULTURE&WINEMAKING
Cultivation
Natural farming is prioritized at Bodegas Enrique Mendoza. Indigenous yeasts are used, and insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers are all avoided in favor of biodynamic practices. Poor soils are augmented with organic sheep manure compost. Vinesareplacedundertheoptimallevelofhydricstresstoproducesmall,concentratedgrapesandcomputerizedsensors monitormoisturelevelsinthevineyard,adjustingirrigationaccordingly.Plotswithbushvinesaredryfarmed.
Winemaking
Bodegas Enrique Mendoza’s philosophy revolves around making fruit-forward, balanced wines with elegant tannins. In order to maintain freshness and the proper levels of acidity, a tool called a Dyostem is used which shows the growth of the berryandsugarcontenttoidentifytheoptimalmomentofcollection.Fermentationtakesplaceatcontrolledtemperatures in stainless steel tanks with a proportion of whole cluster grapes. Malolactic fermentation happens in tanks and/or barrels, followed by aging in French oak barrels and foudres of 2,000 L. Aging times are determined by variety and the vintage, alwaysrespectingthefruit,freshnessandcharacterofeachvariety.
The Monastrell of the Estrecho pago is trained in the traditional goblet form and is strictly dry-farmed. This helps control yields and produce concentrated but balanced fruit.
Enrique Mendoza believes in defending pago-specific wines, the terroir and personality of Both vineyards benefit from the higher altitude and climate conditions which help maintain the grapes’ acidity. The aromas of the rich surrounding scrubland are reflected in the cuvées from Estrecho and Las Quebradas.
BODEGASENRIQUE
MENDOZAPORTFOLIO:
Estrecho, Las Quebradas. Santa Rosa, Dolç and Finca Xaconero
Estrecho
DOP Alicante
Varieties
100% Monastrell
Vinification
Vinification to ensure gentle extraction, 16 months in 500
L French oak barrels
GoodtoKnow
Grapes from the Estrecho pago
LasQuebradas
DOP Alicante
Varieties
100% Monastrell
Vinification
Vinification to ensure gentle extraction, 16 months in 500
L French oak barrels
GoodtoKnow
Grapes from the Las Quebradas pago
BODEGASE.MENDOZA
Camino del Romeral, 42 3580 Alfaz del Pi
Alicante
BODEGASMENDOZA.COM
@BODEGASEMENDOZA
Contact:JuliánMendoza julian@bodegasmendoza.com
Framed by the medieval castle of Alarcón to the west and the Hoces del Cabriel nature preserve to the east, Finca Sandoval is located in Ledaña, between the Júcar and Cabriel rivers in the DO Manchuela. With 62 acres (25 ha) of organically farmed vineyards, Finca Sandoval is preserving parcels of old traditional varietals and reviving the viticultural tradition in this little-known area of Spain .
KEYFACTS
CLIMATE: Mediterraneanwithaverage temperatureof56°F(14°C)
ELEVATION:969-3,281feet (296-1,001meters)
SOILS: Clay,sand,gravel,calcareous
CLASS: DOManchuela
History
Finca Sandoval began in 1998 when journalist and food critic Víctor de la Serna decided to plant a vineyard of Syrah and an experimental plot of the Portuguese variety Touriga Nacional. In 2019, Anta Winteries acquired the estate. Anta’s wine-loving entrepreneurs, led by Ángel and Germán García-Cordero and the former director of Freixenet, Diego Jiménez, recognized the potential to produce high-quality wines from the many 50-year-old vineyard plots that make this region unique in Spain
From the left: Co-CEO Germán García-Cordero, President Ángel García-Cordero, Co-CEO Diego Jiménez
VINE: 61acres(25ha)across10parcels
KEYVARIETALS:Syrah,Bobal, MoraviaAgria,Monastrell,GarnachaTinta
ECO: Certifiedorganic
In 2019, Anta Wineries added winemaking and viticulture advisor Javi Revert to the team. He brings a more contemporary style to the wines, and has worked to recover old plots of the area, especially the Bobal variety. This work is reflected in the scores and commentsofwinecritics.
