Pago Vallegarcía Terroir Profile - Grandes Pagos de España

Located in the Montes de Toledo region, in the area of influence of Cabañeros Natural Park, Pago de Vallegarcía is known for a pioneering spirit that brought the

great traditions of French viticulture to Spain. The wines seek to give expression to singular terroir formed in the valleys of the Montes de Toledo. The results have been stunning, such that renowned French winemaker Eric Boissenot – the man behind many of the world’s most famous Bordeaux – now lists Vallegarcía as his only Spanish project. With a restless spirit and commitment to innovation, Vallegarcía stands poised to continue its work in making unique, terroir-driven Spanish wine.

SINCE 2000

KEY FACTS CLIMATE: Continental, with dry, hot

summers and cold, wet winters; growing season average temperature 65°F (18°C)

VINE: 124 acres (50 ha) across 24 parcels KEY VARIETALS: Cabernet

ELEVATION: 2,789 - 2,953 feet (850 - 900 m)

Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Garnacha, Carignan, Monastrell, Viognier

SOILS: Located on a raña, sandy-clay to clay

ECO: Organic vinification methods

CLASS: DOP Vallegarcía

INNOVATE: First to plant Viognier in

composition

HISTORY Pago de Vallegarcía began in 1997, when Alfonso Cortina de Alcocer commissioned Dr. Richard Smart, renowned professor of Australian viticulture, to design a vineyard on the Vallegarcía estate. Motivated by his love of the great wines of Burgundy and Bordeaux, Cortina began with 59 acres (24 ha) of primarily French varietals. The reception of the first wines from the estate encouraged Cortina to build his own winery, and on September 14, 2006, King Juan Carlos I inaugurated the new facilities.

Spain

Vinification occurs in a minimalist building on the property designed by Martinez Pita. The winery was designed to reflect a respect for the surrounding environment: discreet form, natural materials, and a color palette borrowed from the vineyards all work together to minimize the visual impact on the landscape.

SUSTAINABILITY The vineyards are deeply influenced by the Cabañeros National Park, one of the most valuable protected corners of the Montes de Toledo, and home to refuge of large raptors, black storks, eagles and vultures. It is also the habitat of medium-sized carnivores such as the wildcat, the gineta, the garduña, the meloncillo and the badger that compete with the Iberian lynx for its main prey, the rabbit.

Solar panels have recently been installed as a source of renewable energy.

THE TEAM Adolfo Hornos has been with Vallegarcía since its inception. He started in 1997 as vineyard manager and helped in the design and construction of the winery; today he serves as general director, technical director and winemaker of Vallegarcía.

Adolfo has a master’s degree in viticulture and enology, and in agri-food industry management.

Winemaker: Adolfo Hornos

TERROIR Surrounded by valleys and mountains, the Vallegarcía vineyard is situated on raña, which are slopes and plains at the bottom of a mountain that have been eroded by water and rainfall. They are composed of alluvial deposits from the mountainsides, and by very weathered slates and quartzite blocks on a sandy matrix.

The estate receives more rainfall during the year than other areas of the province, though summer brings an absence of precipitation. This, coupled with the relative altitude, brings a natural freshness to the wines even with high alcohol and moderate acidity.

One of the more distinguishing traits of the soil is its quartzite origin with no presence of limestone, which offers a nuanced sense of minerality. There are also high levels of clay, which retains water while making it difficult for the vine to make use of it. The low soil pH is another factor, facilitating a lower pH in the musts and wines.

Vallegarcía uses various canopy training systems according to the variety: Smart Dyson, cordon royat, vertical axis and California T trellis.

VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING CREATING TRADITION When Vallegarcía Founder Alfonso Cortina came to the region, there was no winemaking tradition to speak of, so he made his own. “I chose French grapes because they are the ones that tune in best with my own taste, trained in the consumption and enjoyment of great Bordeaux,” says Cortina. These varieties thrive in the Montes de Toledo, producing complex and elegant wines that faithfully express the terroir. Vallegarcía now looks towards the southern Rhône for inspiration for their new parcels of Monastrell, Garnacha and Cariñena planted in 2016-2017.

VINIFICATION AND BLENDING Winemaking at Vallegarcía also follows the Bordeaux model, intervening in the process only to influence tannic structure.

Blending is the one of the most important decisions made in the winery. In addition to the free-run wines, the press wines can be used to finesse the profile of the wine. French oak is used to further round out the final blend. Elegance, expression of the varietal and terroir are always the mark of success for Vallegarcía wines.

How is the terroir reflected in the wines of Pago de Vallegarcía?

Singularities of the Winery

The limestone-free quartzite soils produce a minerality that glides along the palate, unlike when limestone is present. The soils are also quite acidic, which expresses themselves in the wine two different ways. The first is the bright colors that can be maintained with a minimal dose of sulfur. The second is a bitterness that lengthens the wine on the palate. Lastly, because of the high clay content, retained water is difficult for the vine to access.

The hydric stress can be mitigated by techniques that prevent the grapes from being diluted. Summer and the harvest season are usually dry, so grape skins overflow with their most precious compounds. The reflection in the wines is the respect for the varietal typicity.

Pago de Vallegarcía’s unique terroir starts with their location on the raña, and the unique geological and chemical composition of their soils. Their proximity to the Montes de Toledo and Cabañeros Natural Park puts them at the heart of one of the most biodiverse areas in Spain.

Why is Pago de Vallegarcía a Grandes Pagos de España winery?

In 1999, Pago de Vallegarcía joined four other wineries to create Grandes Pagos de España in the spirit of defending and promoting quality single-estate vineyards. Since then, Vallegarcía has consolidated its excellence with the concession of DOP Vallegarcía, and continues to advocate for the organization.

PAGO DE VALLEGARCÍA PORTFOLIO: Vallegarcía Viognier, Vallegarcía Syrah, Vallegarcía Garnacha Cariñena,Petit Hipperia, Hipperia

Vallegarcía Viognier DOP Vallegarcía

Varieties

Vallegarcía Garnacha Cariñena DOP Vallegarcía

100% Viognier

Varieties

Vinification

Syrah, Garnacha, Monastrell, Cariñena

80% fermentation in stainless steel, 20% fermentation; 6 months aging in barrels

Good to Know New French oak is used

LEARN MORE

Vinification For 21 days with frequent aerated pump-overs; 12 months in French oak barrels

Good to Know 8 month of cellar bottle aging before release

PAGO DE VALLEGARCÍA

Finca Vallegarcía s/n 13194 Retuerta del Bullaque Ciudad Real VALLEGARCÍA.COM @PAGOVALLEGARCIA Contact: Adolfo Hornos adolfohornos@vallegarcia.com

For more information about The Terroir Workshop, including updates on upcoming class schedules, please register here.