GPE Media Kits_ Region 5 Mediterranean_ENRIQUE MENDOZA_EN
A winery of the DO Alicante, Bodegas Enrique Mendoza began when Enrique Mendoza decided to continue the tradition of the Marina Baixa of producing wine for family consumption. Since then, the estate has grown considerably with the ambition to make wines that reflect the Mediterranean character of the climate and soil. Growing international and native varieties like Monastrell and Roman Muscat, Bodegas Enrique Mendoza is in search of expressive, terroir-driven wines. Since the first documented cultivation of the farm dates to the 16th century, they have adopted a philosophy of minimalinterventiontoprotectthelandforcenturiestocome.
KEY FACTS
CLIMATE: Continental with extreme temperatures that range between 26°F (-4°C) and 95°F (35°C)
ELEVATION: 1,804 - 1,969 feet (550 - 601 meters)
SOILS: Sandy white marls or conglomerates, with sand or clay compositions
VINE: 198 total acres (81 ha); 74 acres (30 ha) across eight plots are GPE-approved
KEY VARIETALS: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Tanat, Monastrell, Chardonnay, Merseguera, Muscat
ECO: Built wastewater treatment plant to return wastewater to the aquifer
HISTORY
While the winery officially began in 1989, Enrique Mendoza had been making wine for his family at home for years. Before founding the estate, Mendoza was simply a merchant with a keen interest in wine, collecting and investing in other wineries. Eventually, he started purchasing vineyards and tending to his own vines, and his first bottles arrived to market in 1990. The estate is now carried on by Mendoza's son, Julian.
THE TEAM
Julian Mendoza is the general manager of the family winery. He holds a masters in enology, viticulture and wine marketing, but in more recent years has studied the cultivation of olive trees. The estate’s olive oil production has centered on recuperating local varieties of the fruit.
Winemaker Sonia Llorente earned her master’s in viticulture and enology in Madrid and has more than 20 years of experience working throughout Spain.
General Manager: Julian Mendoza
SUSTAINABLE VALUES
Enrique Mendoza built a wastewater treatment plant in 2020. Water from the winemaking process is purified before returning it to the local Castellar aquifer.
Many organic practices in the vineyards aim to respect the environment and biodiversity. Green cover crops are used in many plots to protect the soil and fix nitrogen. Later, they are composted in the soil. Vine treatments are organic, such as the use of pheromones to control insect populations.
TERROIR
Located at an average of 1,650 feet (503 me) above sea level in areas with an old riverbed and scrubland, the vineyard has soils of varied profiles: from the fine and sandy loam sands of the Estrecho pago, to stony soil profiles formed by gravels in the El Chaconero vineyard.
El Chaconero is a very unusual vineyard. The layers of subsoil are not horizontal but oblique, resulting in numerous small plots with totally different soils. Gravel or sandy-silty or totally sandy plots can be found in the same vineyard.
The microclimate is relatively extreme for the province of Alicante, despite the proximity to the coast (about 37 miles or 60 km). Considered a continental Mediterranean climate, the microclimate is a transition between the two, with cold winters and warmer summers than on the coast.
GOOD TO KNOW
Finca El Chaconero, or "Las Tierras del Charco de Enero" (The Lands of the January Pond), is one of Enrique Mendoza’s most important pagos. The first documents that refer to the cultivation of this plot on the estate date from the 16th century, and state that it rained so much between the months of September and October that its lands remained flooded until January. Hence its name:TheLandsoftheJanuaryPond .
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. Vines are placed under the optimal level of hydric stress to produce small, concentrated grapes and computerized sensors monitor moisture levels in the vineyard, adjusting irrigation accordingly. Plots with bush vines are dry farmed.
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 berry and sugar content to identify the optimal moment of collection. Fermentation takes place at controlled temperatures 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, always respecting the fruit, freshness and character of each variety.
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.
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.
Pagos de España winery?
Enrique Mendoza believes in defending pago-specific
BODEGAS ENRIQUE
MENDOZA PORTFOLIO:
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
Good to Know
Grapes from the Estrecho pago
Las Quebradas
DOP Alicante
Varieties
100% Monastrell
Vinification
Vinification to ensure gentle extraction, 16 months in 500 L French oak barrels
