As one of the only houses in Spain producing single-vineyard sherry and with a pedigree stretching back to the 13th century, Valdespino’s reputation for ethereal sherry is well-earned. Cultivating the famed Macharnudo vineyard – a high altitude plot of pure Albariza soil – Valdespino’s sherry is deeply expressive of place and history. Now a part of the esteemed Grupo Estévez (Marqués del Real Tesoro and La Guita), Valdespino is rightly known as the high water mark for sherry production.
SINCE 2011
KEY FACTS
CLIMATE: Warm southern climate with Atlantic influence. Average annual temperature 68°F (18°C)
ELEVATION: 443 feet(135m)
SOILS: Albariza–calciumcarbonate,clayand silicaandsubsoilchalklayer
VINE: 407 acres (165 ha) in total, 49 acres (20 ha) are GPE approved
KEY VARIETALS: PalominoFino
ECO: 20 acres (8 ha) certified organic vineyard
CLASS: DOJerez-Xérès-Sherry
HISTORY
Valdespino is one of the oldest wineries in Jerez, whose origin reaches back to the 13th century. For his service in the Reconquest of Jerez de la Frontera, Don Alfonso Valdespino was granted lands and estates where he began cultivating vines. Theestate as we know it today was incorporated in 1875. Inthe 19th and 20th century, Valdespino earned international acclaim, becoming official purveyorsof Spanish and Swedish royal families. In 1999, Valdespino was acquired by the Estévez family, owners of the La Guita and Marqués del Real Tesoro wineries.
INNOVATE: The only winery in Jerez still making single vineyard and barrel fermented wines
OUR TEAM
Now in its second generation of Estévez ownership, Valdespino remains a family winery. The technical team (which,itshouldbenoted,isamajoritywomen)consists of11people,ofwhich9arewinemakers.
Growing up in a family that loved sherry and inspired by her grandfather who worked in a winery in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, director of winemaking Victoria Frutos pursued degrees in agriculture engineering, oenology andamaster’sinagri-foodqualitycontrol.Shehasbeen workingforJoséEstevezsince2005.
Winemaker: VictoriaFrutos
TERROIR
Jerez’s southern climate is shaped by the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. The westerly wind brings ocean humidity, watering the vineyard during the early morning. Average annual rainfall is 24 inches andconcentratedbetweenOctoberandMay.
Macharnudo is arguably Jerez’s greatest vineyard. Its privileged position on a line of hills has a southwest orientation on a 10% slope to take advantage of the cooler western winds and protectingitfromthewarmeasterlywinds.
The soil of the vineyard is the archetype of the typical Albariza, rich in calcium carbonate (containing up to 40%), clay and silica. Thanks to its high levels of calcium carbonate, its clay texture does not crack. It absorbs rain like a sponge. Then because of the high heat, the soil forms a crust as it driesthatpowerfullylimitsevaporation.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
MACHARNUDO Valdespino is one of the only Sherry Houses in Spain to make wines from a single vineyard. Vines have been grown in Macharnudo Alto since the 13th century, and was well-known for its exceptional qualities by the 19th century. Today, this vineyard is the exclusive source for Marcharnudo Barrel Fermented, Fino Inocente, Amontillado Tio Diego,PaloCortadoCPandPaloCortadoCardenal.
EXCEPTIONAL WINEMAKING AND AGING Torespecttraditionandtheuniquecharacteroftheirgrapes,Valdespinogoes above and beyond in all phases of production. For example, in contrast to most houses in Jerez who do the fermentations in stainless steel and inoculate the flor (yeast veil) to influence final style, Valdespino wines are barrel-fermented in reused oakbarrelsandallowedtodecidetheirdestinynaturally.
While DO regulations require for a fino sherry to have a minimum of 2 years, Valdespino’s Fino Inocente, which has 10 criaderas, has an average of 10 years under the flor. The additional aging gives the wines a complexity and texture that standsapartfromanyotherfinointhefield.AmontilladoTioDiegoalsohasanexceptionalaverageageof17years.
In 2015 Valdespino first produced a still white wine from the Palomino in Macharnudo as an experiment. Today, Marcharnudo Barrel Fermented is a part of their single-vineyard bottlings, and carries the minerality and salinity that this pago is noted for.
How is the terroir reflected in the wines of Valdespino?
The calcium carbonate in the Albariza soils of Macharnudo produce very mineral wines. They are savoryandsalinewithlongpersistence.
AnotherkeypartofValdespino’scharacteristheir velo de flor.Composedofyeastsinherentintheatmosphereand impregnated in the barrels, is unique to the conditions of thewinery.Thecharacterthattheyconferonthefinoand amontillado are unmistakable. This long-lived, allowing Fino Inocente to spend up to 10 years being influenced by it. This long biological aging process allows them to create Amontillado Tio Diego without adding alcohol to provoke the transition to oxidativeaging.Eventually,the
dies from lack of nutrients, allowing the oxidative phase toinitiatenaturally.
Singularities of the Winery
Fino Inocente from the Macharnudo pago is the only Fino still fermented in 500 L oak barrels, instead of the usual large-capacity stainless steel tanks. It is also one of the only wines that has 10 criaderas, instead of the 2 or3thatotherwineriescurrentlyhave
Why is Valdespino a Grandes Pagos
VALDESPINO PORTFOLIO:
Fino Inocente, Amontillado Tio Diego, Palo Cortado Viejo CP, Palo Cortado Cardenal V.O.R.S.
FINO INOCENTE
DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
VARIETIES
100% Palomino Fino
VINIFICATION
Fermentation in oak barrels. Biological aging, average 10 years
GOOD TO KNOW
Passes through 10 criaderas and soleras
AMONTILLADO TIO DIEGO
D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
VARIETIES
100% Palomino fino
VINIFICATION
Fermentation in oak barrels. Biological and oxidative aging, average age is 17 years
GOOD TO KNOW
Passes through 8 biological criaderas and 3 oxidative soleras. No second fortification to stop biological aging
VALDESPINO
Ctra. N IV Km 640
11408 Jerez de la Frontera
Cádiz
GRUPOESTEVEZ.ES/VALDESPINO @GRUPOESTEVEZ
Contact: Jaime Gil
jgm@grupoestevez.com
