The wine world finds itself at a second of nice turmoil but additionally thrilling transformation. After a long time of a deceptive give attention to worldwide varieties – thought finest suited to leverage the business potential of producers in overseas markets – there may be, ultimately, a shared understanding of the truth that indigenous grapes are an intrinsic part of terroir, pure as a lot as cultural. Their preservation is subsequently important to make sure the resilience of the native identification, on the one hand, and the manufacturing of wines that actually seize the historical past and soul of a spot in time.
Utiel-Requena is in a privileged place, having remained fiercely dedicated to its viticultural heritage. The area’s indigenous varieties have been championed by a few of its most outstanding producers, guaranteeing their continuity and the preservation of outdated vineyards with invaluable genetic variety – particularly well-suited to face the challenges of local weather change.
Late blessings
The late-ripening, aptly-named Tardana is Utiel-Requena’s flagship indigenous white grape. As soon as deemed to lack the mandatory attributes to supply high quality wines, it’s now being rediscovered underneath a brand new mild, because of the unwavering dedication of some producers. Their efforts have been validated by Tardana’s potential to face up to drought – which has come to the forefront lately, with a number of consecutive vintages of extraordinarily low precipitation (tragically balanced by October 2024’s intense rains and flash floods).
Barrel room at Bodegas Vibe, the place winemaker Juan Carlos García is trialling barrel-aged iterations of Tardana
Among the many producers main the revival of Tardana is Vibe, the brainchild of hospitality entrepreneur Raúl Vicente Bezjak. Having been a part of the challenge from its inception, winemaker Juan Carlos García López is growing a scientific method to discover Tardana’s affinity with oak and its potential to supply superb, ageworthy whites. In the meantime, the expressions of Tardana already launched by Vibe stand out for his or her unctuous texture and moreish complexity, with satisfaction of place at Vicente’s eating places and catering venues.
Additionally championing Tardana as one in every of its signature varieties is family-owned Vera de Estenas. Based by Francisco Martínez Bermell within the Seventies, the property launched its first wines within the early Eighties, following a terroir-focused method that earned it Pago standing in 2013. The producer releases one of many selection’s purest expressions alongside a consultant assortment of its flagship purple counterpart, Bobal, which additionally counts Vera de Estenas as one in every of its torchbearers. Now on the helm of the household property, Félix Martínez Roda, the founder’s son, has developed a spread that showcases Bobal’s versatility – from the Rosado de Estenas to the ageworthy Casa Don Ángel, of which Félix led an epic vertical tasting in June 2023.
Félix Martínez Roda, surrounded by his household and the Vera de Estenas crew, throughout the vertical of Casa Don Ángel
Superior Bobal
It’s the work of producers corresponding to Vera de Estenas that has allowed Bobal to emerge as one in every of Spain’s most intriguing and compelling varieties within the final couple of a long time.
Its lengthy ripening cycle, in the meantime, makes it notably resilient as spring frosts and hailstorms develop into extra unpredictable and heatwaves push earlier. And the construction of its cover – low and compact – preserves much-needed moisture in occasions of elusive precipitation.
Like Vera de Estenas, Jiménez-Vila have developed a novel vary through which Bobal options as a supply of superb wines of construction and food-friendly enchantment, in addition to apparent uncooked materials for contemporary, crunchy reds. Jiménez-Vila has honed its potential to seize and interpret the plasticity of Utiel-Requena’s signature purple grape: the small vineyard, based by siblings Jorge and Marisa Jiménez-Vila in 2017, has a valuable portfolio of outdated bush-trained Bobal vines, all harvested and chosen by hand.
Jorge and Marisa Jiménez-Vila
Making the distinction
In the meantime, main cooperative Coviñas has performed a key position within the preservation and renewed appreciation of Bobal – and Tardana – at scale. With 3,000 members and representing almost 40% of Utiel-Requena’s manufacturing, the cooperative has embraced its accountability as main steward of the appellation’s panorama and heritage – not least via its renewed consideration to and introduction of viticultural finest practices amongst growers, to protect and worth the appellation’s outdated vines. The cooperative has additionally been instrumental in establishing the Bobal de Alta Expresión class, created by DO Utiel-Requena to stress the singular potential of the area’s oldest vines to supply expressive, cellar-worthy wines.
Members of the Coviñas cooperative
With local weather change looming massive, winemakers the world over have been pressured to rethink their viticultural belongings. In Utiel-Requena, all they needed to do was to recommit to their distinctive legacy.
4 wines to discover Utiel-Requena’s indigenous varieties:
Bodegas Vibe, Parsimonia Tardana
100% Tardana
A pure, food-friendly expression of Tardana, produced with fruit from El Azagador in addition to close by Los Serranos. The grapes are destemmed, crushed and bear a pre-fermentation at low temperatures, previous to fermentation in stainless-steel. A while on the lees give it an unctuous, moreish contact. A creamy citrus edge is offset by fragrant raise, unique depth and a superb layer of spice.
Vera de Estenas, La Tardana de Estenas
100% Tardana
This Tardana options alongside a Rosado and a crunchy amphora-aged purple in Vera de Estena’s extra approachable lower-intervention vary. Additionally fermented and aged in clay, it showcases the variability’s purity and texture with a lime edge and vivid acid underpinning the fleshy orchard fruit.
Jiménez-Vila Hns., Núcleo
100% Bobal from outdated vines
A characterful Bobal, from outdated unirrigated vineyards. Fermentation – each alcoholic and malolactic – occurs in stainless-steel adopted by 20 months in 225-litre French oak. The result’s a wine that brings out Bobal’s natural and savoury dimension, underscored by a mineral freshness and preserving its pure, crunchy fruit.
Coviñas, Adnos – Bobal de Alta Expresión
100% Bobal from outdated vines
That is Coviñas’ – and one in every of Utiel-Requena’s – flagship examples of Bobal, underneath the ‘Alta Expresión’ class. It’s produced with fruit from 5.5ha of outdated bush-trained vines, with yields of lower than 2kg per vine. The small manufacturing of extremely concentrated fruit delivers a sturdy wine, softened by 24 months in French and American oak and with loads of potential to develop in bottle.
Discover DO Utiel-Requena and its flagship producers
