Tag: Castilla y León

Simplesmente… Vinho 2026 IV – The other Spain

Published 21. March 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

More highlights from my tastings at Simplesmente Vinho.

From Castilla y León, Malaparte (Elisa de Frutos and Rubén Salamanca) presented their distinctive OX Blanc 2023. This blend is fermented with indigenous yeasts and then aged outdoors in large glass demijohns, where a layer of flor develops. Deep golden in colour, it offers aromas of dried flowers, preserved citrus and nuts. On the palate it is rich and structured, with a lightly oxidative character reminiscent of biologically aged wines, yet balanced by a core of freshness and a long, savoury finish.

The step from that wine to the next seemed short. Barco del Corneta was represented by Félix Crespo, who presented their line of fabulous, textural verdejos (and some reds). Among them was Las Envidias 2022, a wine made from palomino and aged in botas de Jerez. Pale in colour with a light yellow tint, the wine showed aromas of mature apple and citrus peel, with a subtle yeasty note from the ageing. On the palate it was dry and savoury, with good freshness and a lightly oxidative tone. The finish carried a delicate saline touch that added character and length.

J. Palacios of Corullón in Bierzo was also present. Ricardo Pérez Palacios had brought his stunning parcel wines, all the way up to the legendary La Faraona. “I wanted to make a good impression,” Ricardo smiled – which he certainly did. Here I chose Moncerbal 2023. Cherry red in colour, it opens with a perfumed nose of flowers, wild herbs and both red and darker berries. On the palate the wine shows impressive precision, with fresh fruit and a firm but finely grained tannin structure. It is surprisingly approachable already, though a hint of oak appears in the aftertaste, suggesting that the wine will continue to develop gracefully for many years.

From Arribes, El Hato y el Garabato, represented here by Liliana Fernández, showed their range. I did not taste all the wines, but Otro Cuento 2022, predominantly doña blanca fermented and aged in foudre, was fabulous. Pale in colour, the wine offers aromas of apple and citrus with a faint herbal touch. On the palate it is light and fresh, with a rounded texture, lively acidity and a subtle hint of oak that adds depth without dominating.

Alfredo Maestro is a classic presence at Simplesmente, with his vibrant natural wines from across Castilla y León. Here I chose a personal favourite, El Marciano 2023, a garnacha from Sierra de Gredos. Bright red in colour, the wine shows aromas of fresh red berries with a hint of wild herbs. On the palate it is juicy and lively, with fine tannins and refreshing acidity that give the wine both energy and drinkability.

Daniel Ramos is likewise always a delight to meet – and to taste his aged natural wines from Gredos. This time I chose a younger wine, Zerberos CariNena 2023, made from cariñena as the name suggests. The colour leans toward red with a slight orange tint and the wine is a bit turbid in the glass. Aromas move between red and darker berries with a faint volatile lift that adds complexity. On the palate it is vibrant and expressive, balancing fruit, acidity and a lightly rustic edge.

This wine marked the end of my tastings. Thank you to the organisers – the Roseira family – and see you next year.

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Wine of the Week

Great from slate

Published 26. December 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

One of the defining expressions of high-altitude garnacha from Spain, Pegaso Pizarra comes from very old bush vines planted on steep, slate-rich soils in Cebreros, within the wild mountains of Sierra de Gredos. These vines thrive above 950 m on metamorphic rock, working organically and hand-harvested to capture purity and place — the very essence of this dramatic terroir.

At the heart of this wine is Telmo Rodríguez, one of Spain’s most influential vignerons. For over three decades he has championed forgotten vineyards and traditional viticulture across the country, seeking to restore ancient sites and make wines that speak of history and landscape rather than manipulation. His work with Pegaso (named after a classic Spanish vehicle) helped put Cebreros on the map, revitalising this rugged corner of Castilla y León and focusing on old vines, organic practices and slow, natural winemaking.

Made from 100% garnacha from bush-trained vines over 80 years old, fermentation happens with indigenous yeasts and the wine is aged extensively in a mix of oak barrels (400–500 L).

Pegaso Pizarra 2018 (Telmo Rodríguez)

The wine shows a medium ruby colour with clear garnet and faint brownish tones at the rim, indicating some evolution. On the nose, it is complex and expressive, moving beyond primary fruit. Dried red cherries, wild strawberries and cranberry are joined by Mediterranean herbs, dried flowers and graphite. With air, more savoury notes emerge: leather, tobacco leaf, subtle smoke and a hint of earth. The palate is silky yet structured, with finely grained tannins, herbs and dried fruits, black tea and spice. Acidity is well judged, giving length and clarity, while the finish is long and stony.

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Wine of the Week

Beautiful Bierzo from Banzao

Published 7. February 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

To make the history short, Silvia Marrao from Madrid became interested in winemaking in Italy and fell in love with the vineyards of Bierzo after having spent some time in Rías Baixas. Her Banzao project began with the lease of a old 3 hectare vineyard in San Pedro de Olleros in 2017, located at 750 meters of elevation. We are in the in the Ancares valley, in El Bierzo. A banzao is a small, temporary dam that raises river or stream levels to channel water for irrigation. Made of wood and stone, it washes away with autumn rains, only to be rebuilt yearly -as Silvia puts it, mirroring the natural cycle, like the vine’s renewal through winter pruning.

Silvia has currently around four hectares of her own vineyards, thanks to private owners in San Pedro de Olleros who came to offer them to her. Currently is cultivated on a total of 18 plots in 8 different parajes in the Villa de San Pedro de Olleros. These have different orientation, altitude and type of soil. Being in the Ancares Leoneses Biosphere Reserve, she wants to work organic, integrating the plant into the biodiversity of the area and intervening as little as possible.

Eras la Ermita is one of Silvia’s 5 paraje wines. It’s from a vineyard of mainly mencía planted in the 1940s and 50s and been in recovery since 2017. The soil is slate with clay and quartzite. The wine was fermented with native yeasts in barrels and stainless steel tanks, 50% with stems and the rest gently destemmed without crushing. It was aged for 9 months in 500 and 225 liter barrels.

It is a fairly large field at the northern edge of San Pedro, gently sloping toward the city. Over time, the wind has eroded its loose soil, leaving a thin topsoil. Quarry stone and weathered slate define both the terrain and the character of the wine.

Eras la Ermita 2021 (Bodegas Banzao)

Deep clear red. Aromas of dark forest berries and raspberries, aromatic herbs, with an earthy note. The palate follows up with dark and red fruits, together with a stony minerality, and it has a good concentration and a lovely integrated acidity. It’s in a way delicate and juicy, but it also has a firm tannins that will help it through a few more years. It’s a wine with real nerve and energy.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Tasty white Toro

Published 19. January 2024 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

I say Toro, because wine lovers will know where it is. The wine is given the more generic designation Castilla y León though, but the label gives the exact address and also shows the coordinates.

we are in the southern village of El Pego, where Álvar de Dios Hernández took over his grandfather’s century-old vineyards in 2008.

Vagüera comes from a single vineyard in El Maderal further north. It sits 950 metres above sea level and surrounded by an extensive cork oak forest that shields the vines from the sun. It’s made from doña blanca grapes planted in the 1920s. They were direct-pressed, barrel-fermented and aged at least 12 months in the same barrels. The wine is neither filtered nor clarified.

Vagüera 2018 (Álvar de Dios)

Light yellow with green hints. Intense aroma with citrus (lime), green apples, white flowers. Tasty, with good volume and concentration, a refreshing acidity and good length. It’s direct, but it has also a deeper layer. No oakiness, except that it’s breathing well (from the microoxidation). Wonderful balance, and also ageing capacities.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Picaresque Toro

Published 29. September 2023 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

El Pícaro is a young red wine from the D.O. Toro made with tinta de toro (tempranillo) grapes from vines between 50 and 70 years old. It’s made by Bodega Matsu that work by minimal intervention, in the field according to organic and biodynamic principles. Matsu, meaning to wait in Japanese, is a project originated by the Riojan company Vintae.

The harvest was carried out manually during the first half of October. Fermentation happened in concrete tanks at temperatures not exceeding 24ºC. Malolactic fermentation was done in French oak barrels. Then came a 3 month period in wood. Not filtered nor clarified.

The winemaking is done in the facilities that Matsu rents from the Covitoro cooperative.

El Pícaro 2022 (Matsu)

Deep red with blue hint. Aroma of mature fruits, dark (blackberry, blueberry), eucalyptus and coffee. Medium-bodied, young tannins, mineral, powerful but also with a nice acidity.

Price: Low

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Articles

Raw Wine Copenhagen: Long live the locals!

Published 15. June 2023 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

The local heroes this time are six winemakers from Castilla y León who all participated with their stand at the Raw Wine Fair in Copenhagen. They were Elisa de Frutos (Vinos Malaparte), Ismael Gozalo (Microbio), Jorge Vega (Puerta del Viento), Ricardo López (Vinos al Margen), Alfredo Maestro and Kiko Calvo (Bodegas Bigardo).

As seen from my chair, from left: Elisa, Ricardo, Alfredo, Isabelle, Jorge, Ismael and Kiko

Together with Raw Wine’s founder Isabelle Legeron, they talked loosely around today’s theme, based around the six wines offered by the producers. The focus was on local grape varieties. Why do they matter? What happen to the grape varieties when the climate changes? Should we climb higher, pick earlier, or do we need to replace the variety with another?

We got to taste Jorge Vega’s Extinto made by the nearly extinct panycarne variety. We experienced verdejos in a white version made from centennial vineyards by Ismael Gozalo – and as a skin-contact orange wine from Malaparte. There was a delicate light-extraction rufete from Vinos al Margen and a fresh, fruity tinta de toro from Bodegas Bigastro, obviously a Toro wine, but not as much marked by its 16° alcohol as one could expect. Alfredo Maestro brought a wonderful tempranillo-based blend; one part tempranillo and the rest a veritable “de toda la vida” blend. [These wine descriptions will be updated.]

Castilla y León is a huge region with all the wine styles that one can imagine. I never get tired of it, and there is always something new to discover.

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Articles

Visit to Descendientes de J. Palacios

Published 1. April 2023 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

First day in beautiful El Bierzo, now winterly cold. Descendientes de J. Palacios are kings of the hill of Corullón. We visited the steep Las Lamas vineyard, watched Moncerbal from a distance – and saw the differences in soil displayed in the magnificent cellar, made by the famous Rafael Moneo. Here I also include a video where you can watch Corullón village, then over to the El Ferro hill, where you can also spot the mythical La Faraona vineyard. Eventually we tasted the 2022 vintage. Thank you, Ricardo and Iris!

(This post will be updated with a lot more information later.)

Ricardo Pérez Palacios in front of Las Lamas (?)

A display of the soils of the Moncerbal and Las Lamas vineyards

Iris Fernández in the Las Lamas vineyard

La Faraona vineyard in the paraje El Ferro

Rafael Moneo is the architect behind the stylish and practical bodega

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Articles

Pan y Carne at Puerta del Viento

Published 9. March 2023 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Extinto is a wine from the variety ‘pan y carne’, very rare and too special to forget.

I met Jorge Vega of Puerta del Viento in his home and bodega in the small settlement of Arborbuena outside Cacabelos in Bierzo. Here he has a small bodega that covers more or less everything in a single room. Well, I said Bierzo. Jorge is a maker of natural wines and doesn’t put much effort in thinking about the other producers or the regulations of the wine authorities. Rather he has his network of fellow artisans and his true customers. And he is an acknowledged expert, and many producers turn to him when in doubt.

Jorge is from Cacabelos, one of the main towns of Bierzo, where the consejo regulador is located. It was his mother-in-law who came from Arborbuena, and the reason that the winery is located exactly here. Jorge disposes of an estate of 15 hectares in the settlements of Canedo and Pieros, not far from the winery, and there is a total of 3,5 hectares of vineyards. Jorge never clarifies nor filters, and never adds sulphites. The fermentations are done in big old chestnut barrels, and his tinajas are from Juan Padilla in Villarrobledo (Castilla-La Mancha).

Outside the temperature was below zero, and the bodega was not much better. Still we tasted around ten samples of wines, all from the 2022 harvest. Among the wines that stood out was an appley and cidery godello with doña blanca, also with a hint of honey. In the mouth it showed high glycerine and also high acidity, thus showing a perfect balance. This wine comes under the name Bajo Velo, that means “under ‘flor'”. To name it doña blanca is however unjust to Jorge. He calls the variety valenciana, as this is the name the locals use. JaJa is a valenciana with 30 days of skin-contact. It’s has some orange peel character, complemented by flowers and a strong mineral component, and with some tannin in the mouth. YeYa is a clarete made from 7 varieties, including pan y carne. It was wonderfully fresh, with red berries (raspberry, strawberry) with flowers, fizzy on the tongue with a light structure and an “electric” acidity. It had a bit residual sugar, that contributes well to the balance. Puerta del Viento is a red mencía, with good colour, somewhat blueish, blackberry and violets perfume, a light structure and fresh acidity. And Puerta del Viento Viñas VIejas is an old vines version of the same, with darker fruit (blackcurrant), ink, with young tannins, but still very luscious and drinkable.

Then came the wine in the introduction. Extinto. The wordplay is perfect to denote this tinto, from a nearly extinct variety.

Pan y carne, or estaladiña, is one of the new varieties recognized by the DO Bierzo in their new regulations. The consejo regulador tells that it is less than 2 ha. in total of the grape. This includes the 600 plants that Jorge grafted in Canedo vineyard some years ago. Prior to this he had done a great job to verifiy genetically that it actually was the variety in question, described by the acknowledged agromomist Nicolás García de los Salmones more than a hundred years ago. (A note on the side: I have in fact tasted an estaladiña before. But as Jorge points out, it is very likely to be another grape, a synonyme of merenzao, and not pan y carne.)

In my room at the parador of Villafranca I had Jorge Vega’s wine, with artisan bread and piquillo peppers made by his neighbour. My sample bottle was without label.

Extinto 2021 (Puerta del Viento)

Dark, blackish with violet hints. Concentrated aroma, young, blackcurrant, violets, ink. In the mouth it is vivid, has some structure (tannins and acidity), though nothing aggressive, hint of coffee-sweets, and a long and fruity finish.

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Wine bars and restaurants

Natural wine in Murcia

Published 1. January 2023 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

La Gracia is a small and cozy natural wine bar that opened in 2020, when the pandemic was at its height. It’s found in Murcia capital, Spain, in one of the narrow streets behind the city hall and the cathedral in the Santa Eulalia district. They work with artisan producers of wine, cheese and also beer and other products. The owners are Esperanza Pérez Andreo and Cristina Ramos Berna. They have strong ties with local and regional producers from whom they buy directly.

I was there twice at the end of the year, including New Year’s Eve. We sat on the “terrace” (i.e. the plaza behind the first street) near midnight, and then inside the bar around noon. We chose from the cold and the warm tapas menues, and from the by-the-glass wine selection, that counts on around 30 references.

Esperanza Pérez, responsible for the wine selection

Among the small dishes we chose was a “cured” cheese selection. The first one was a young and fresh, but oh so tasty, cheese from Cartagena, then a 3-4 months cured goat’s cheese soaked in red wine, then a 9 months cured cheese from San Javier called ‘El Abuelo’ (the grandfather) and finally a wonderfully complex cheese from a mountain between Cartagena and Mazarrón. The watermelon marmelade was from coastal San Javier.

The wine list contains established and new natural wine stars from Murcia and elsewhere in Spain. We started with Las Madres 2020 (Punta de Flecha), a light skin-contact white from the Madrid area. The grape is malvar, and like many other wines from that variety it is low on acidity but rather textured. Amber coloured and slightly fizzy, it had a nice aroma of flowers and orange peel.

Viña Enebro is rather well-known in Spanish natural wine circles, and you can read about a visit in Bullas here. El Yesar 2020 is a white wine made from the red grape forcallat. Hence it has a little blush of red. It’s round and tasty, and the aroma includes traces of citrus (clementine) and herbs.

At the second day I asked for whatever white wine and was served Doble Plaer 2020 from Vinyes Singulars (with collaboration from Toni Osorio) It turned to be a wonderful wine with a phenomenal acidity, almost electric. It has a good body too. Light orange in colour, and somewhat cloudy, with an aroma of citrus peel (lemon) and flowers over black tea. Long aftertaste where the citric notes linger. The grapes are malvasía de Sitges and parellada.

The two first reds were revelations from the Murcia region. Negrete 2021 from Negrete Blue is a monastrell/garnacha tintorera from no less than 1.373 meters of altitude in the Bullas denomination. It was a fresh and juicy, berry-dominated, young wine, with blackberry and blueberry in front.

Tinaha 2020 comes from the bodega of the same name. It’s found between Molino de Segura and Jumilla to the north of the regional capital. As the name implies they believe in ageing in clay (tinajas). The varieties are a local field blend, and so monastrell should be among the suspects. The wine had red berry notes, but was more dominated by a clay minerality with flowers, and had a juicy taste with a long aftertaste, and especially for the region, good acidity.

We tasted two reds from Castilla. Felipe el Caminero 2021 (Inma Badillo) is a fresh tempranillo/ juan garcía/bruñal blend from Arribes del Duero, close to the Portuguese border (provinces Zamora and Salamanca). It’s a pure, very juicy and fruity wine with lots of berry character. La Payana 2020 (Cható Gañán) is completely different. Made from garnacha on granite soil in the Sierra de Gredos, it has a more serious air to it. It has some of the etheral character often associated with the Gredos garnachas, and some of the minerality behind the red fruits. The oak shows delicately on the palate.

Since I was back on New Year’s Eve I took the opportunity to round off with a sparkling wine. The choice fell on En Moviment A 2020 (Bàrbara Forés) from Terra Alta, Catalunya, made from the local morenillo grape. The sparkling rosé smells of peach and grapefruit. There is an acidic attack in the mouth, the wine is slim in the middle, but the citrus acidity strikes back and gives it a lift towards the end.

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Wine of the Week

Fragile verdejo

Published 23. December 2022 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Ismael Gozalo has proved that he can take the verdejo grape to new heights. With basis in the family vineyards of Nieva, Segovia (averaging 180 years old, around 900 meters altitude) he has various takes on that grape.

The grapes for the wine Frágil were pressed and fermented naturally in 16-litre demijohns. The wine was further matured in the same glass containers for a further 7 months before being bottled, unfiltered. It is not sulphured and has only been kept in glass after harvest. 670 bottles made.

Frágil 2021 (Ismael Gozalo)

Light yellow, slightly cloudy. Aroma of ripe citrus, white flowers and yellow apples. Creamy lees character, some dryness, taste of ripe stone fruit, mineral, good acidity and good length. It’s a delicate, subtle wine yet with a strong varietal character.

Price: High

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