Winebow Producer Book

DO Navarra , Spain

Winery Overview Tucked in the foothills of the Pyrenées along the French Border in Navarra, Castillo de Monjardín’s estate was originally a way station along the famous pilgrimage route from Paris to Santiago de Campostella. Its proximity and historic cultural links to France provide a winemaking tradition based on Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot distinct from the rest of Spain. Monjardín does, however, make good use of the Garnacha that has made Navarra famous for its fresh, fruity rosés and lush, fruit forward reds. Shortly after graduating from the oenology program at the Universidad de La Rioja, Ramiro Cruza Le Bihan joined Bodegas Castillo de Monjardín in 2002. Today, Ramiro’s role at the winery encompasses a wide range of responsibilities including vineyard and cellar management, laboratory analysis and quality control. Location of Vineyard Castillo de Monjardín sits in the northwest corner of Navarra in the foothills of the Pyrenées, not far from the French border. Monjardín’s 300 plus acres lie on sunny slopes at an average altitude of 1,800 feet above sea level, which are cooled by the Cierzo wind from the mountains. Winemaking Philosophy Monjardín’s unique microclimate and the winemaking skills of proprietor winemaker, Victor Villar, yield wines of singularly intense aroma, full flavor and firm structure. All wines are single vineyard bottlings, fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak. Winery Overview Jose Limeres, a native of the Galícian town of Pontevedra and owner of several successful restaurants in Madrid, entered the wine business in 1985 when he was searching for a reliable supplier of quality wines for his restaurants. He bought his first property in O Rosal and planted native varieties that flourished in the area’s unique climate and soil. The resulting wines proved a hit, particularly his Albariño, which strikes just the right balance of sugar and acidity. José María Ureta Guzmán, a native of Galícia, with a Master’s in Enology and Viticulture from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, manages the winery’s vineyards and cellars. In 2001, José was named “Young Albariño Winemaker of the Year” by the Order of Albariño Gentlemen, and is a member of the Tasting Committee of the Consejo Regulador de Rías Baixas, the region’s official winemaking consortium. Location of Vineyard Bodegas La Val is located in the DO of Rías Baixas, in Galicia. Jose’s first vineyard was in O Rosal, on the Minho River, close to the Atlantic coast. In the 15 years that followed, Jose expanded with three more vineyards in O Rosal and the neighboring Condado de Tea, which are the two southernmost sub-zones in the DO. Situated along the border with Portugal, vineyards here benefit from a drier climate and warmer growing season, yielding Albariños with increased vibrancy and aromatics. Winemaking Philosophy Soil types in Bodegas La Val’s vineyards range from alluvial and granitic to slate allowing Jose to produce both terroir driven, single estate wines, as well as carefully constructed blends. His wines undergo cold maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks. DO Rías Baixas , Spain