Pegaso, `Pizarra` Cebreros Garnacha

Based in Sierra de Gredos, Pegaso was born from a collaboration between Rioja native Telmo Rodríguez, his long-time business partner Pablo Eguzkiza and two-time world rally champion Carlos Sainz Sr. They named the winery in tribute to Pegaso, a famous 1940s Spanish car manufacturer prized by collectors with an eye for sleek, classic design.

Sierra de Gredos is a range of mountains west of Madrid, spanning the provinces of Toledo, Madrid and Avila. The region’s rugged landscape, with granite-laced soils, has been home to numerous winemaking families for generations and boasts a wealth of old vine Garnacha. Telmo and Pablo were gripped by the potential of these vineyards when they first saw them while travelling across Spain in search of forgotten regions. Telmo explains that “this extraordinary vineyard was growing wild, without winemaker, oenologist or engineer: it was an orphan.”

In 1999, they purchased their first vineyard, Arrebatacapas, in the village of Cebreros (known for its rare ‘pizarra’ red slate soils) with Carlos Sainz Sr, who lived locally and shared their passion for Sierra de Gredos’ winemaking potential. Incidentally, Carlos explains that Arrebatacapas was once part of the Madrid rally route he famously raced along, “but then, I didn't pay attention to the vines. I was more concerned about winning”. Together the trio restored Carlos’ 19th century property in 2005 to house the Pegaso winery.

‘Arrebatacapas’ is the flagship of the Pegaso range. This steep 2.1-hectare bush-trained Garnacha plot was planted in 1953 at 1,050 metres and is farmed organically, surrounded by juniper, rosemary and lavender bushes. Its unique character is defined by its rare slate soil (almost unheard of in Sierra de Gredos), interwoven with veins of quartz. The ‘Arrebatacapas’ Garnacha is exceptionally elegant and aromatic, with fine, delicate tannins.

Grapes for ‘Pizarra’ (Spanish for slate) are sourced from three sites including Arrebatacapas. The low yielding vines on slate soils result in a wine with aromatic intensity, velvety texture and delicate tannins. ‘Granito’ is a blend of over 60-year-old Garnacha from the El Robledillo and El Mojón vineyards, planted at an elevation of 850-900 metres. The granitic soils, prevalent across the Sierra de Gredos region, result in a wine that is powerful yet restrained, with a savoury profile and supple tannic structure.

For ‘Zeta’, Telmo and Pablo work with 60-year-old bush vine Garnacha, sourced across three different vineyards (the El Robledillo, El Mojón, and El Presidente) with an elevation of 750-900 metres. The soils here are a combination of the ‘pizarra’ red slate and granite. The most accessible of the range, ‘Zeta’ is softer on the palate, with crunchy red fruit characters and herbaceous undertones.

All the Pegaso vineyards are organically farmed, each specifically chosen to reflect a different characteristic of the Sierra de Gredos terrain. The wines are made with minimal intervention to preserve the purest expression of site.