Altos de Montanchez ‘Vegas Altas' Orange 2022

Location: Spain, Extremadura

Winemaker: Juan Sojo and Ángel Luis González

Grapes: Cayetana, Pardina

Soil: Clay, slate

Winemaking: One month maceration, fermentation with indigenious yeast in cement tanks, followed by around 3 months further aging in concrete deposits. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, and a tiny bit of SO2 at bottling.

From us at M&L: Very textured —dried leaves, cardamom, burnt toffee, orange marmalade, finishes with salty sea vibes.

From the Importer Selections de la Viña: Formerly known as "Cerro La Barca," Juan Sojo and Ángel Luis González are like brothers from another mother. One minute they’re arguing and the next they’re toasting to another harvest. They studied oenology together and ever since have been making wines together. Ángel Luis comes from a background in agriculture while Juan comes from a background in science. Both so different, but yet complement each other so well.

Together they want to prove their homeland’s winemaking potential and in doing so have recovered one of the region’s forgotten varieties: Eva de los Santos. They control and source grapes from 38 hectares of vineyards (some over 80 years of age) and have become the only organic wine producers in all of Extremadura.

Following biodynamic principles and taking advantage of the night’s cooler temperatures, they reap their harvest under September’s full moon. Every grape cluster selected passes through their hands guaranteeing the highest quality and allowing them to limit the use of additives in the cellar.