Molino Real , `MR` Muscat

In 1995, Telmo Rodríguez and his business partner Pablo Eguzkiza established Molino Real in Málaga with a view to reviving the region’s ‘Mountain Wine’. This naturally sweet style once stood shoulder to shoulder with the great sweet wines of Tokaji, Sauternes and Germany. It was historically made from Moscatel grapes (also known as Muscat of Alexandria), grown in the canyons around Málaga and sun-dried before fermentation. The resulting ‘Mountain Wines’ were decadent and rich, producing fine, age-worthy expressions. As trends changed, these wines fell out of fashion and the wine-growing traditions of Málaga faded into near obscurity. That is, until the 90s when Telmo and Pablo began seeking out the lost regions of Spain. Remembering how Hugh Johnson once said that old ‘Mountain Wine’ was the best wine he’d ever had, the duo were inspired.

For over 20 years, the Molino Real project has produced these traditional sweet wines from the ravines of Cómpeta in Axarquía. An hour's drive from the city of Málaga, Telmo and Pablo have nine hectares of Moscatel vines planted on dark schist and green slate soils, between 350 and 1,000 metres above sea level. The estate fruit is further supplemented by local, like-minded growers.

The ‘MR’ is the gateway to Molino Real’s style, made from Moscatel sourced from growers in Malacapa, Ventarral, Cerro Gourman and Alto la Zorra. These vines are planted on steep, south and west-facing vineyards at 550 metres above sea level, with shallow, stony soils derived from Palaeozoic schists. After being hand-harvested, the fruit is sun-dried until it resembles golden raisins, a process known as ‘asoleo’. Once pressed, the resulting concentrated juice is fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel. It then remains in tank to age for a further 10 months before bottling.

The eponymous ‘Molino Real’ is made from Moscatel dried using the ‘asoleo’ method, pressed in traditional oil presses with natural esparto mats. The grapes are so concentrated that two and a half kilos of fruit are required to produce just one litre of juice. This is then fermented with indigenous yeast in 225-litre wooden barrels, followed by 20 months of ageing.

Alongside traditional sweet ‘Mountain Wines’, Molino Real also produce the dry ‘Mountain Blanco’ Moscatel from vineyards in the mountainous villages of Competa and Archez. These bush-trained vines are planted among olive trees and the grapes are hand-harvested before being pressed in the same traditional olive presses as ‘Molino Real’.