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Telmo Rodriguez, Single Vineyard Wines
These incredibly special wines are well worth seeking out!
One of Spain’s most exciting winemakers, Telmo Rodriguez has been rediscovering historic vineyards outside his home region of Rioja for the last 30 years.
An extraordinarily gifted winemaker, these superlative wines are a unique expression of each vineyard site and the varieties that grow there. Here we are excited to feature Molino Real from Malaga, a rare sweet wine once known to Shakespeare and Dumas, and two hugely characterful reds from Valdeorras in northwest Spain, Falcoeira A Capilla and O Diviso. With an average score of 95 points from the Wine Advocate, these incredibly special wines are well worth seeking out.
From a rugged inland area between the mountains of Granada and the Mediterranean, the ‘mountain wines’ of Malaga had almost been forgotten. Molino Real, a partnership with local growers, is made from Moscatel bush vines grown at an elevation of 550m on steep south and east facing slopes. The grapes are hand harvested and dried on reed mats with only the best bunches being kept. Fermentation in 225-litre wooden barrels is followed by 20 months of slow ageing. The result is a deliciously rich yet floral sweet wine with ripe apple and pear flavours along with candied fruit notes and a delicate seasoning of spice – 2018 was a cooler year imparting wonderful freshness.
Falcoeira A Capilla comes from the village of Santa Cruz in Valdeorras in northwest Spain. Once highly prized by local growers, old bush vines seek out a meagre existence on narrow, south facing slopes at 400 to 600m. Made from Mencía, Brancellao, Sousón, Garnacha and other varieties, the wine is fermented with native yeasts and aged in foudres and barrels. An intense and profound wine with crushed red berry and dried plum flavours, along with subtle notes of liquorice and dried herbs, the 2019 is an ‘exuberant’ and ‘extrovert’ rendition of this magnificent wine says Gutiérrez.
From the village of Ermitas in Valdeorras, O Diviso is a similar blend of Mencía, Brancellao, Sousón and other varieties. A high-altitude terraced vineyard on a steep slope, between 550 and 725m, oriented to the south, west and northwest, gives the wines a slightly cooler character. Fermented with native yeasts in small wooden vats, O Diviso has a complex nose with exotic scents of liquorice and cardamom leading to a very elegant palate with fine mineral tannins. The highest scoring wine of the trio, Gutiérrez awards the 2019 vintage an impressive 96 points.
There is very limited stock available – if you are interested in these truly unique wines, please contact us as soon as possible.
Purchase In Bond (ex duty & VAT)
2018 Molino Real, Telmo Rodríguez
£180 per 6 bottle (50cl) case in bond
‘The sweet 2018 Molino Real comes from a more normal vintage compared with previous years. It comes from nine hectares at 350 to 1,000 meters in altitude on slate soils. It had a slow fermentation in 225-liter oak barrels, where it matured at low temperature for 20 months. It has 13.5% alcohol and 147 grams of sugar, a little higher this year. But still, the wine doesn’t feel too sweet; it’s very tasty and luscious, with the notes of bay leaf and the creamy lactic and sweet touch, with balance and energy. It keeps the poise and character.’ 95 points, Luis Gutiérrez
2019 Falcoeira A Capilla, Telmo Rodríguez
£230 per 6 bottle case in bond
‘The red 2019 Falcoeira A Capilla comes from a healthy vintage compared with previous years. The wine achieved 13.5% alcohol and has a pH of four (quite high), but the wine comes through as balanced and fresh. It fermented in a 3,000-liter oak vat and matured in a 2,000-liter oak foudre. This is in the process to be certified organic. It’s exuberant, sunny, extrovert and Mediterranean, expressing the southern exposure and the light from the vineyard. It’s juicy and tasty. This vintage seems very expressive and reflects the character of the different places quite faithfully.’ 94 points, Luis Gutiérrez
2019 O Diviso, Telmo Rodríguez
£280 per 6 bottle case in bond
‘The 2019 O Diviso is named after a vineyard from Las Ermitas in Valdeorras planted with a field blend of Mencía, Garnacha, Mouratón and Caíño. It’s 1.2 hectares of old vines and 1.7 hectares being replanted on granite slopes on the banks of the Bibei River overlooking the Ermitas hermitage that are in the process of conversion to certified organic farming. After the frost of 2017 and mildew of 2018, 2019 was a normal vintage with good health and ripeness of grapes that were picked from October 2nd, slightly earlier than in 2018. It fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts followed by a gentle élevage in a neutral 600-liter oak barrel for 12 months. It has 13% alcohol and mellow acidity. I love this wine, but I must say it suffered in the comparison with the As Caborcas from this year, like it had a slightly more rustic touch. Perhaps the cooler place needs more time to express the soil and the wine is a little more reticent. It has a medium-bodied palate with cold granite minerality.’ 96 points, Luis Gutiérrez
Enquire About Availability
To enquire about purchasing, please fill in the Enquiry Form below, contact James Ceppi di Lecco
([email protected]), or call our office at +44 (0) 20 7232 5450