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 .
KEY FACTS
CLIMATE: Mediterraneanwithaverage temperatureof56°F(14°C)
ELEVATION: 2,460-2,789feet (750-850meters)
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
KEY VARIETALS: Syrah,Bobal, MoraviaAgria,Monastrell,GarnachaTinta, Marisancho,AlbilladelaMancha
ECO:
In 2019, Finca Sandoval 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.
Winemaker: Javier Revert and Winery Partner Germán GarcíaCordero
SUSTAINABLE VALUES
All plots at Finca Sandoval, whether owned or leased, are certified organic and cultivated without phytosanitary additives. Committed to sustainable ecological practices, Finca Sandoval has incorporated biodynamic methods, such as bottling wines in accordance with the biodynamic calendar.
TERROIR
Finca Sandoval is primarily defined by its altitude, which reaches upwards of 2,625 feet (800 meters). This altitude gives the wines a notablefreshnesswithoutsacrificingtheirMediterraneancharacter.
The Mediterranean climate has long, very dry, hot summers. When combined with the altitude, these conditions yield great thermal amplitude, lengthening the growth cycle and producing more balancedripeningofthegrapes.
The clay soils have an important limestone component. The vines rest on a limestone rock-base called tuesca in Manchuela, with depthsrangingfrom16to40inches(41to102cm).Soilcomposition is primarily sandstones and conglomerates, with layers of yellowish sandyloamsandlimestones.
Paraje Casablanca, Finca Sandoval’s largest parcel with 62 acres (25 ha) and four grape varieties, contains five distinct soil types. They show differences in levels of key components like organic material, calcium carbonate or iron. The winery vinifies each variety and soil typeseparatelytomaintainthecharacterofeach.
GOOD TO KNOW
Sandoval champions the Bobal variety.Whilethegrapeiswidely planted, it doesn’t enjoy the reputation of more commonly understoodEuropeanvarieties.The medium-bodied red grape makes wineswithcrisp,structuredacidity.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
CAREFUL VITICULTURE
In2020,FincaSandovalchangedthetrainingandpruningsystemstoencouragegreaterdevelopmentofthecanopy.This promoted shading of the bunches, which yields larger, more concentrated fruit and wines of more fluidity, freshness and elegance.
AGING IN CLAY
Recovering local winemaking practices for their Fundamentalista bottling, Finca Sandoval is experimenting with clay amphoraknownas las tinajas – thetraditionalagingvesselsofManchuela.Theteamfeelswineagedintheamphorabest expresses the estate’s terroir and their work in the vineyard. The clay’s porosity allows the winemakers to perform controlledmicro-oxygenationwhilepreservingintensityoffruitandthefreshnessofthewine.
ART OF BLENDING
Finca Sandoval maintains the European tradition of blended wines, even when one variety dominates. For instance, their Finca Sandoval bottling is primarily from low-yield, old-vine Syrah, but it is blended with native grape varieties like Monastrell,GarnachaandBobaltoaddcomplexityandlocalcharacter.
Moravia Agria is an heirloom grape native to Manchuela, the only DO that permits its use in wine. It is a sensitive variety with very thin skin that produces relatively low alcohol content (approx. 12.5%) and notable acidity. Finca Sandoval uses Moravia Agria in blends to add freshness and acidity.
How is the terroir reflected in the wines of Finca Sandoval?
Finca Sandoval is driven by the desire to make wine thatreflectsthespecificterroiroftheirvariousplots.
For example, La Fundamentalista is a field blend sourced from a high elevation plot where old-vine Bobal is coplanted with Moravia, Marisancho and Tortosina. The fruit is co-fermented, allowing the vineyard character to shape the wine. The resulting winesshowgreatverticality,acidityandfreshness.
Salia, on the other hand, is composed of Syrah, Bobal and Touriga Nacional from separate plots. They are vinified separately to preserve the identity of their growing site. The predominantly clay soils yield wines that are round on the palate with more volumeandintensefruit.
FINCA SANDOVAL PORTFOLIO:
Fundamentalista, Salia, Finca Sandoval, Signo Bobal, La Rosa, Aurora
Finca Sandoval DO Manchuela
Varieties
80% Syrah, 15% Bobal, 5% Moravia Agria
Vinification
Singularities of the Winery
FincaSandovalhasworkedtoputManchuelabackon the viticultural map, recovering the best of the area’s vines and winemaking traditions. Their combination of new and old technology is uncovering layers of expressionoftheirfruitandterroir.
Why is Finca Sandoval a Grandes Pagos de España winery?
Finca Sandoval is a founding member of GPE. Victor de la Serna has long been a champion of single-estate wines that display characteristics of a particular soil type, orientation, microclimate or cultivar – the definition of pago wines. Like fellow members, they produce wines in harmony with the soil,climateandnatureofeachpago.
Vinified with 40% whole cluster fruit, spontaneous fermentation with natived yeast; aged 18 months in large foudres
Good to Know
Blend from the best parcels of the Casablanca vineyard
Varieties
60% Syrah, 25% Bobal, 20% Touriga Nacional, 5% Garnacha
Vinification
Vinified with 40% whole cluster fruit, spontaneous fermentation with native yeast; aged 10 months in 300 L French oak barrels
Good to Know
All fruit comes from the same municipality
