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THEFAMILY
from South Region
Cortijo los Aguilares was founded by J.A. Itarte in the 1990s. For 20 years, the estate has employed local families to work in the vineyards and cellar. The emphasis on family helps maintain continuity and commitment to the estate, and helps fulfill the mission to involve the whole community in reviving the winemakingtraditioninthearea.
Technical Director Bibi García studied chemistry with the idea of becomingaperfumer.Shefellinlovewithwinealso,andearneda master’s degree in viticulture and enology. After work experience in Priorat and Chile, Bibi joined the winery in 2007 overseeing bothviticultureandwinemaking.
Winemaker: BibiGarcía
Winery founder Jose Antonio Itarte was a lover of Burgundy wines, and decided to grow Pinot Noir in spite of being located much further south than recomended for the variety. Between the high altitude and efforts of the vineyard team, the Pinot Noir is able to thrive and provide a very unique expression of their terroir.
Terroir
The Serranía de Ronda is a meseta at 2,300 to 3,280feet(700to1,000m)ofaltitudebetween the two mountain ranges of de las Nieves and Grazalema. The microclimate is influenced by the altitude and its proximity to the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Abundant rainfall between November and April mitigates the dry summers, while wide diurnal temperature shifts helpasteadyripeningprocess.
Soils are varied among the four parcels, but clay, calcareous clay and limestone predominate. Different orientations of the parcels also play a role in ripening times. Each parcel is matched withthevarietiesthatbestgrowthere.
