Bierzo’s wine cellar was born after travelling across Spain several times, when Andrea Mufatto and Gerardo Michelini fell in love with the region of Bierzo, and specifically with some forgotten areas of Ponferrada, such as Valdecañada and Ozuela. They found old vineyards of great potential there, and it was not until 2015 that they began making wines that shortly afterwards captivated wine lovers and critics around the world.
Wines based on the characteristic regional varieties (Mencía, Godello, Palomino, Merenzao, Brancellao, Garnacha Tintorera and Doña Blanca) are made, relying on goblet-pruned vineyards older than 80 years, planted on soils composed of slate stone and clay, and on the area’s cold climate (which is due to the fact that vineyards are planted on the northern side of the mountains). All vineyards are organic and focus on biodynamics, for the purposes of achieving the best plant expression.
Afterwards, the winemaking process implemented is the conventional one, usually involving the use of whole clusters and grape fermentation with native yeasts from vineyards in small earthen jars and wooden tanks. This results in limited edition wines that reflect the essence of this traditional Spanish region.
THE WINE CELLAR
An 18th century building was adapted to the needs of a wine cellar in the Toral de Merayo town, which now serves as a winemaking establishment. Here, wines are conventionally made in the old-fashioned way; wines are fermented in clay amphoras and aged in 228-litre used Burgundy barrels and wooden foudres.
OUR WINES
Wines seek to be an interpretation of the limestone and slay stone present in this region’s terroirs, giving rise to genuine and frank expressions. Harvesting grapes at their optimal moment of ripeness, searching for accuracy in every detail and respecting the times of wines are all part of the successful method to achieve fine and flowing wines, with notes that are not so reminiscent of fruit but of dampness and underbrush, featuring elegant texture and good stowage potential.
Once again, to vinify said wines, the old-fashioned winemaking model was taken as reference, working with stems, ageing in wood and obtaining wines that are more subtle than striking.
EN EL CAMINO
Ponferrada, D.O. Bierzo – Mencía Based Blend (90%)
Winemaking process: Grapes are grown in 100-year-old goblet-pruned vineyards, using 50% whole cluster and 50% stalking. Short postfermentative maceration, followed by spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts and a subsequent 10-month ageing in clay jars, this is a limited edition of 2000 bottles.
A MERCED
Ponferrada, D.O. Bierzo – Mencía
Winemaking process: Grapes are grown in 80-year-old goblet-pruned vineyards. Vinified using foot-treaded (pigeage à pied) 100% whole clusters, fermented with native yeasts in clay amphoras through gentle maceration, neither carrying out pressing nor pumping over techniques. Five-month maceration in contact with the pomace and pulp, followed by an eight-month ageing in used French barrels, this is a limited edition of 3000 bottles.
EL RAPOLAO
El Rapolao, Valtuille de Abajo, D.O. Bierzo – Mencía
El Rapolao, Valtuille de Abajo, D.O. Bierzo – Mencía
Winemaking process: Grapes are grown in 80-year-old goblet-pruned vineyards. Vinified using foot-treaded (pigeage à pied) 100% whole clusters, fermented in clay amphoras and subsequently macerated in amphoras for 3 months. Pressed and aged in used oak barrels for one year, this is a limited edition of 900 bottles.
ENCRUCIJADA
Alto de Valdecañada, Ponferrada, D.O. Bierzo – 90% Mencía 10% Palomino
Winemaking process: Grapes are grown in 80-year-old goblet-pruned vineyards. Vinified using foot-treaded (pigeage à pied) 100% whole clusters, followed by fermentation in clay amphoras and gentle maceration without implementing the pumping over technique. Fermented with native yeasts, and subsequently macerated for 5 months in contact with the pomace and pulp for two months. Nine-month ageing in used 500-litre French barrels, this is a limited edition of 600 bottles.
POST-CRUCIFIXIÓN
Carballal de abajo, Priaranza del Bierzo, D.O. Bierzo – 50% Mencía, 10% Palomino, 20% Merenzao, 10% Brancellao, 10% Godello
Winemaking process: Grapes are grown in goblet-pruned pre-phylloxera vineyards. Fermented using foot-treaded (pigeage à pied) 100% whole cluster, followed by its fermentation with native yeasts in clay amphoras and gentle maceration, carrying out neither pressing nor pumping over techniques. Subsequently macerated for 10 months with the pomace and pulp for 10 months, in addition to three-month ageing in used 500-litre French barrels, this is a limited edition of 593 bottles.
“We make wines that reflect the soul of each terroir.”