BEHIND THE LABEL
Calzadilla By Gary Hewitt, DipWSET, CWE, FWS, Sommelier Calzadilla started as a “crazy” dream of Celia and Paco, parents of Paula Uribes, the trained biologist and winemaker with international winemaking experience who currently runs the estate. This small family winery is located an hour east of Madrid on the high plateau of central Spain. With 22 hectares of vineyard planted on agriculturally untouched soils (free of chemical residue), the winery has the rare Vino de Pago designation awarded to exceptional single estates. As such, it is the smallest demarcated wine region in Spain. The remote but beautiful location “in the middle of nowhere” boasts limestone soils on hillsides ideal for radical and biological viticulture. Calzadilla’s artisanal, handcrafted, minimal-intervention wines made from Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah speak eloquently of their unique location.
From left to right: Pago Calzadilla 2021 Matelot Garnacha Blanca Vino de la Tierra de Castilla ($34.99) is an elegant, fullbodied white wine with white peach character and a long finish with an engaging bitter catch at the end. Pago Calzadilla 2017 OPTA ($35.99) is a red blend of Tempranillo (60%), Syrah (20%), and Garnacha (20%) aged 12 months in French and American oak casks of various sizes. It is an energetic wine with vivid red fruit character, oak spice, licorice, and savoury herbal notes. Pago Calzadilla 2015 Classic ($34.99) is an oak-aged blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, and Syrah with grace, intensity, and finesse. It is in perfect form with still youthful fruit, silky tannins, and a long finish, but built for further aging.
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Paula Uribes (photo courtesy of Calzadilla)
From the beginning, the project aspired to create a beautiful estate integrated into the environment. Today, the calm serenity that envelops the property with only the sound of birds and the breeze attests to their success. Calzadilla’s classic labels express the winery’s three foundational pillars: the land, the family, and the vineyard.
