KEY FACTS
CLIMATE: Dry continental: long, cold winters with intense frosts and hot, dry summers
ELEVATION: 3,002 feet (915m)
SOILS: Site of an old Roman mine; raña soils; quartzite, quartz and slate in a sandy clay matrix. The vineyard holds some pre-phylloxera vines.
HISTORY
The Romans first brought the vine to this region centuries ago. Fuentes de Silencio sits on part of what was the most prolific gold mine in the Roman Empire. Between the 9th and 20th centuries, the Jamuz Valley was a considerable wine-producing area with hillsides perfect for vineyards. Pilgrims on the Way of St. James, orCaminodeSantiago,would buy wine here to take on their journeys. Today, the vineyard boasts pre-phylloxeric vines from the end of 19th century, as well as an old winery that was excavated in the hillside.
VINE: 49 acres (20 ha) divided into 110 plots
KEY VARIETALS: Mencía, Alicante Bouschet, Palomino, Godello, Gran Negro, Doña Blanca, Prieto Picudo
ECO: Certified organic in 2020
INNOVATE: Recovery of the vineyards in an economically challenged area has allowed the winery to create jobs and launch new activities such as enotourism
respect for the environment in many ways, including avoiding the use of synthetic products and restoring the local wine heritage by recovering centenary vineyards. Natural soil treatments improve aeration within the vines and help maintain the biodiversity and balance of the native fauna and flora.
TERROIR
Fuentes del Silencio’s vineyards sit along the valley of the Jamuz River, which originates in the Teleno mountains a few kilometers away from the village of Herreros. The pago is on a raña, or collection of slopes and plains at the bottom of a mountain, which has been eroded by water and rainfall. Soilis comprised of alluvial deposits from the mountains, including weathered slates and quartzite stones on a sandy-clay matrix.
The soil is rich in mineral deposits including quartz and gold, the latter being a product of the ancient gold mines that were heavily used during Roman times. These deposits have created a selection of unique strains of naturally occurring yeast and bacteria that shape the texture and palate of the estate’s wines.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
VITICULTURE
Traditionally in the Jamuz valley, each family had a few small plots planted with vines to tend. This is evident today in the more than 100 plots that make up the vineyards of Fuentes del Silencio, and has conditioned the methods and tools used to cultivate those vines. Many are trained using a traditional method called vaso rastrero, which requires meticulous work by the vineyard team. The vines are grown inside an olla (pot), a hole about 24 in (60 cm) in diameter and 12 in (30 cm) deep, to protect them from frost and cold. So close to the ground, retained heat in the soils keeps the grapes ripening as cooler weather approaches. There is no irrigation forcing the old vines to dig deep into the soil for water and nutrients, producing high concentration and complexity.
WINEMAKING
To respect the fruit from their unique terroir, Fuentes del Silencio uses the best tools and materials for the job. For example, using concrete and cocciopesto provides micro-oxygenation while respecting grape varieties with a floral and subtle profile, such as high-altitude Mencía. French and, to a lesser extent, Austrian oak barrels and vats are used to age the wines
SelectHeirloomVarieties:
GranNegro:Redvarietywithsmall, compact clusters. It adds polyphenols and acidity to the wines.
Mencía:TheMencíathatisfoundin Jamuzisfromaveryoldclonethat isuniquelyadaptedtothealtitude andcontinentalclimateofthearea.
White varieties include the Doña Blanca,GodelloyPalomino.
How is the terroir reflected in the wines of Fuentes del Silencio?
The wines of Fuentes del Silencio are marked by the influence of the environment. The altitude encourages a natural acidity in the final phases of maturation while the soils, which have high heavy metal content, provide the vines with additional elements that translate into a unique texture and salinity in the wines.
Singularities of the winery
Fuentes del Silencio aims to recover and restore a forgotten vineyard. With a large number of native varieties perfectly adapted to the harsh climate of the area.
FUENTES DEL SILENCIO PORTFOLIO:
Prieto Picudo Viejo, La Gándara, Las Jaras Rosé, Villaflórez, Mataperezosa, Las Jaras, Las Quintas, La Gándara
Las Quintas
Many of them were thought to be lost or had not been recognized in the area, for its strategic enclave between the Camino de Santiago and the Ruta de la Plata. Making their growth and prosperity are vital for the future of Spanish winemaking.
Why is Fuentes del Silencio a Grandes Pagos de España winery?
Fuentes del Silencio’s mission is centered around the defense and recovery of vineyards in an almost forgotten area. Through their work with the unique land of the Jamuz Valley, they strive to create an environment of harmony, sustainability and rebirth.
VdT Tierra de Castilla y León
Varieties
85% Mencía, 13% Alicante Bouschet, and 2% Palomino
Vinification
30% whole cluster.
Spontaneous fermentation in French oak vats. Soft pressing in 500 L barrels; 14 months aging
Good to Know
New oak allows for a balanced blend of fruity, smoky, and spicy flavors
fermentation in French oak for 2140 days, then 10 months aging. Unfiltered, but lightly fined
Good to Know
Women crush the grapes by foot - it is thought that they do it more delicately than the men
