WINE NOTES
There is, as they say, nothing new under the sun, and winemaking is not exempt. Allowing for the fact that wine has been around for at least five thousand years, the use of wooden casks is relatively new.
Since man tasted the first drops of the heaven-given liquid, the vessel was made of clay. In some Spanish regions this custom still persists, particularly in Valdepeñas where the huge clay jars known as tinajas are standard. The Catalonian version used to be large glass jars half buried in the ground and exposed to the elements
Indeed, it comes as a surprise to most wine buffs when they learn (early in their drinking career one assumes) that wood performs a very limited function. Wooden barrels are expensive and have to be replaced every couple of years, whereas stainless steel and clay can last forever. In the majority of bodegas that do not produce wines aged in oak, there is not a barrel in sight.
In Georgia, the cradle of winemaking with its near 600 grape varieties, the classical method is the clay kvevri sunken into the ground, in which the grapes are pressed and the wine left to mature for around two years. Wood is nowhere to be seen. On a recent visit to the capital, Tbilisi, I was fortunate enough to meet John Wurdeman, a young American whose Georgian wines under the label Pheasant’s Tears are made in the traditional clay vessels, and exported to 12 countries.
Back home, I toured the equally interesting bodegas of Mollina, near Antequera. From time immemorial the producer of sweet wines of the Málaga variety, this region is now a truly outstanding source of red and white table wines.
The Cooperativa del Virgen de la Oliva, while making the excellent Montespejo Tinto Roble, is also notable for a barn full of conos, concrete vats sunken into the ground that, while not as commonly used as previously, still age reds and the original dessert wines.
The Blanco Afrutado of Cortijo de la Fuente bodega is an eye-opener – a very competitively priced white wine that can contend with anything made in Penedés or Rueda. The reds are worthy rivals of most of those produced further north and with a comparable price tag.
The last noteworthy wine from this region, but far from the least, is the distinguished Capuchina Vieja red from the bodega of the same name. The 2009 vintage – using Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, a justifiable winner of several awards, and matured for 12 months in oak – is sold at both El Corte Inglés and Marbella’s D-Wines at around €16.
MOLLINA FILE
Launched in 1993 following intensive research and development involving the planting of several red wine grape varieties to determine which would best adapt to the area’s climatic conditions and terroir, the “Tierras de Molina” brand comprises a selection of wines falling into two different Designations of Origin officially recognised in 2001: D.O. Málaga for naturally sweet wines and liqueur wines (dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet); and D.O. Sierras de Málaga for white, red and rosé wines.
The town of Mollina – excellent for a weekend getaway including guided tours of its bodegas, wine tastings and sampling of the superb local cuisine – is located in the Antequera area, 65 kilometres from Málaga city. Altitude: 473 metres above sea level.
Dating to the end of the 19th century, Bodega Cortijo La Fuente extends over 16 hectares of land dedicated to vineyards, with a combined age of between 30 and 40 years for the white varieties and three years for the reds. Harvesting is carried out manually.
With its roots in the vestiges of a Roman-period farmhouse villa, Bodega La Capuchina produces white and red varieties on a 20-hectare plantation. The original oil press (almazara), stables and aviary have been restored and remodelled.
The Virgen de la Oliva cooperative was founded at the end of the 1970s and currently has 900 active members and associates. In addition to wine production, the cooperative is also known for its high-quality olive oil and olives.
By Ana Gil Peña
