| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Main grapes | |
| Other grapes | |
| Vintage | |
| Bottle sizes | |
| Viticulture |
Pago Finca Élez Cencibel is a Spanish red wine made from 100% Cencibel (AKA Tempranillo) grown at altitude. It is a single-vineyard, limited-release wine. The wine is full-bodied yet fresh and elegant, in part due to the high-altitude terroir.
Pago Finca Elez was founded by Spanish theatre producer and director Manuel Manzaneque in 1992. The estate is located in the municipality of El Bonillo, in the province of Albacete (Castile-La Mancha, Spain). It is situated at an altitude of approximately 1080 metres above sea level in the midst of a protected 1000-year-old juniper forest.
The estate was awarded the Designation of Origin “Finca Elez”. It was recognised as a in July 2002 by the government of Castilla-La Mancha, the first single estate in Spain to earn this designation (alongside Marqués de Griñón). The estate suffered a period of decline during the 2010s and was most recently acquired by the Villoldo Ruiz family, who are from the local area. The family has undertaken a program of renovation and improvement, with the intention of continuing the estate’s proud legacy of producing organic, high-quality wines. The winemakers are Javier García Alonso, Miguel Ángel Benito and Carlos Sánchez.
Finca Elez is planted with a mix of Spanish and international grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Tempranillo, Viognier and Chardonnay. The vineyard area covers approximately 40 hectares, and the vineyards are planted on poor, infertile, stony soils with clay deposits on limestone. The climate is continental with very hot summers, with large diurnal temperature variation and relatively cold winters.
The grapes for this wine come from the plot La Nueva, La Vieja y El Palomar – Finca Élez, which is located at an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level. The soils her are sandy clay loam on a limestone base.
The grapes are harvested in the early morning. They undergo a careful selection and are processed immediately after their short journey from the vineyards to the winery. The wines are aged in French oak barrels from Allier, Nevers and Troncais. The unique terroir, the conjunction of traditional and artisanal methods with advanced technology, results in superb quality, singular and exclusive wines.
Pago Finca Élez Cencibel is a good match for mature cheeses, Iberian ham, tuna, grilled meat and vegetables.
2021 Vintage
91 Points – James Suckling
91 Points – Sommeliers Choice
94 Points – Decanter
