Cien Y Pico, `En Vaso` Manchuela Bobal
Vintage: 2021
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | CP103A21 | 12 x 75 | Screwcap | Available |
Producer
When four winemakers, Zar Brooks and Elena Golakova Brooks (Dandelion Vineyards), Luis Jiménez García and Nicola Tucci, discovered old Garnacha Tintorera vines in Manchuela, they were shocked to find them being dug up. Their determination to save and celebrate these ancient vines led to the founding of Cien y Pico. The project's name translates to ‘hundred and something’ as a nod to the age of these historic vineyards.
The four vineyards Cien y Pico works with lie on the high Meseta plateau of Castilla-La Mancha, where deep-rooted vines thrive in low-vigour, limestone-rich soils and the surrounding mountains offer protection from the icy winters and intense summer sun. With only around 300 millimetres of rain annually, the climate is extremely dry, yet the elevation of nearly 1,000 metres above sea level ensures cool nights and intense sunlight, ripening grapes to perfection while preserving freshness. These old, low-yielding, bush-trained Garnacha, Tintorera and Bobal deliver vibrant colour, concentrated fruit and flavour. Traditionally used for blending, these grapes are expertly crafted into elegantly balanced and approachable wines.
The ‘Doble Pasta’ Garnacha Tintorera (also known as Alicante Bouschet) is opaque purple in colour and full-bodied with a savoury meatiness, smooth tannins, and a lovely natural acidity. The ‘En Vaso’ Bobal, spends 12 months in mainly used oak barriques, creating a soft wine with juicy tannins and a lifted, fresh finish. The four winemakers modestly refer to the wines as being “fresh-picked fruit off the vine, with just a little winemaking”.
Vineyards
Cien y Pico's vineyards are all located on the Meseta, or 'plateau', of Castilla-La-Mancha. With only 300mm of rain per year, the plateau is extremely dry; the deep-rooted old vines thrive in the low vigour soils. The mountains surrounding the Meseta offer protection from the icy winters, while in summer the intense sun at this altitude of nearly 1,000 metres warms and ripens the grapes to perfection. The ancient plantings of Bobal vines survive between rocky outcrops that cover the vineyards, where the soils are made up of limestone rich sedimentary red sand and clay.
Vintage
The 2021 vintage in Castilla-La Mancha was characterised by notably cool conditions that marked the first cool harvest since 2010. The year began with the historic winter storm Filomena in January, which brought unprecedented snowfall that helped replenish water reserves across the region. Spring conditions were favourable with adequate rainfall supporting healthy vine development, though adverse weather conditions, notably hail and storms in September, impacted some areas and reduced overall yields. Better weather followed in October, with fine, sunny conditions and favourable wide temperature variations between day and night, allowing for optimal ripening during the final harvest period. The cooler growing season resulted in wines with enhanced freshness, balanced acidity, and more moderate alcohol levels.
Vinification
The four winemakers modestly refer to the wine as 'fresh-picked fruit off the vine during harvest with just a little winemaking'. Vinification is very traditional and simple, with very little intervention. Grapes are fermented on their skins for 12 days. The wine is aged in 225 litre barriques for 6 months.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
A vibrant nose which shows abundant fruit, along with chocolate and earthy notes. Blackberries, blackcurrant and cinnamon spice, along with cocoa and mulberry on the palate. It is soft with juicy tannins, and an uplifting fresh fruit finish.
Alcohol (ABV)
13.5%
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cien Y Pico | `Doble Pasta` Manchuela Garnacha/Tintorera | CP101 | R |