Bodegas Vegalfaro Pago de los Balagueses

Pago de los Balagueses received a DOP ‘Vino de Pago’ qualification in 2011, a prestigious appellation that’s only been granted to twenty of Spain’s vineyard sites to date. The estate is also situated within walking distance of a historic site where the Iberians were cultivating vines as early as the 5th century BC. From the highest quality single vineyards on their estate (at an altitude of 780m), this is a wine of huge intensity, deep color and overall charm made from 45 year Garnacha Tintorera vines. An intriguing, complex bouquet offers a mass of dark autumnal, brambley fruit with hints of earth, leaf mulch and woodsmoke with subtle floral scents and a telling balsamic twist adding lift to the medley. Maturing for ten to twelve months in small oak barrels (70% new) and stirring of the lees in the barrel also adds to the palate richness. Bags of character, bags of flavor – this a real show stopper backed up by plenty of praise over the years too.

• 92 Points, Jamie Goode, ‘Organically farmed single vineyard that has been cultivated for a long time: wine was made here more than a thousand years ago. Made from the dyer Alicante Bouschet (known here as Garnacha Tintorera), this is ripe, dense and structured, with grippy tannins underlying sleek yet fresh blackberry and black cherry fruit. It’s modern without being over-ripe, showing good definition and structure. There’s some oak in the mix, but overall this is a well made, ageworthy wine of good intensity, and it needs a bit of time to reach a harmonious maturity.‘ WineAnorak.com, November 2018 (2016 vintage)
• Gold Medal, Sommelier Wine Awards 2019, ‘Deeply concentrated plum fruit, with a peppery edge, lovely structure and hints of black tea.‘ Laurent Richet MS; ‘Rich aromas of coffee, black fruit and herbs, a peppery palate and a long finish.’ Chiara Sieni; ‘Gamey, feral and intense; spiced black fruit with a hint of tea.‘ Sonal Clare; ‘It’s a hidden gem, designed for you to show off.‘ Timothy Connor (2016 vintage)
• 94 Points, JamesSuckling.com, ‘Rich dark plum, cocoa powder and dark chocolate, as well as a flinty, dark-stone edge. The palate is plump and fresh, exuding effortless, balanced power. Terrific, flavorsome, fresh red here.‘ August 2018 (2015 vintage)
• 92 Points, Wine Spectator Magazine, ‘Showing balance and depth, this red has flavors that are a bit reserved but deep, with black cherry, black olive, cocoa and mineral notes. Firm tannins and fresh acidity are well-integrated, yielding a seamless texture. Harmonious, in a savory style. Drink now through 2027. 1200 cases made.‘ Thomas Matthews, August 2018 (2015 vintage)
• 17/20, JancisRobinson.com, ‘Restrained but intriguing nose – smoke, violets, black cherry, leather. Rich and hearty without busting the block, and there’s a lovely grainy tannin firming up the finish. Ambitious and delicious. Drink 2017-2024.‘ Richard Hemming MW, October 2017 (2014 vintage)

The Vegalfaro winery is located in La Plana de Requena-Utiel, within the province of Valencia. The Bodega owns 60 hectares of vines that are divided into three separate vineyard plots based on soil, microclimate and grape variety. All vineyards are certified organic, as is the winery itself. This is ancient wine country that can claim a history of winemaking stretching back as far as the 7th century BC. It was in 1999 that Andrés Valiente and his son Rodolfo first established Bodegas Vegalfaro here. No pesticides have ever been used on their vineyards, as a result the soils are teeming with life. Because of the variety of soils, the different orientations and the altitude above sea level, between 600 and 900 metres, the vines benefit from exceptional growing conditions, each planted at a site to best suit that grape. Here the local Bobal grape variety that is king, ably supported by more internationally recognised varieties such as Merlot, Tempranillo and Chardonnay. The stand-alone three hectare "Pago de los Balagueses" is officially recognised and classified as a single vineyard (Pago) - the highest ranking wine denomination in Spain. This is a privileged place for growing grapes, surrounded by a pine forest, Holm oaks and aromatic plants, located in the Natural Park las Hoces. The soil of calcareous-sandy nature and the cool summer nights of this Pago favour the high quality of the wines. Syrah and Garnacha Tintorera are the predominant varieties here, plus small plots of Merlot and Chardonnay. Four wines from Bodegas Vegalfaro attained the “Excellent” rating with scores between 90 and 93 in the Peñín Wine Guide 2017. Among them, Rebel·lia red, which scored 90 points and was positioned as the best wine of Valencia on a value for money basis.The “Pago de Los Balagueses” Syrah and the Garnacha Tintorera-Merlot are both recognized as outstanding in the classification.