Cien Y Pico

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”.