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Garcia de Lara Finca Villalobillos “Pie Franco” Barrel Fermented Airen is a Spanish white wine made from 100% Airen grapes. The vines are ungrafted and planted in 1935. This single vineyard wine is a rare example of high-quality Airen.
Finca Villalobillos, the home of Bodegas Garcia de Lara, was established in 1878. The estate has been in the García de Lara family since then and today covers some 284 hectares in the province of Toledo. The winery is located in the municipality of Villarrubia de Santiago.
In the 1920s, Alfonso de Lara Toledo built a new bodega with a capacity of 400,000 litres. Winemaking continued at the estate until the 1970s, when the grapes were sent to another winery in La Villa de Don Fadrique for winemaking. However, in 2017, Bodegas García de Lara was revived by the next generation of the Garcia de Lara family, who focus on the finca’s own potential, emphasising single-vineyard parcels of wines from its oldest plots.
The estate is particularly known for its old vines planted “pie franco”, ungrafted vines, planted on their own rootstock. The vines thrive here in the calcareous, rocky soils typical of the region. These special old vines, combined with dry-farmed (secano) cultivation, contribute to the unique character of the wines produced. There are four wines produced and bottled as Vino de la Tierra de Castilla. The red wines are made from Cencibel (Tempranillo) and Tinto de la Pampana Blanca (Tinto Velasco). The white wines are made from Airen. There is an unoaked Airen and this barrel-fermented version.
The 100% Airen vines for the Garcia de Lara Finca Villalobillos “Pie Franco” Barrel Fermented Airen were planted, ungrafted in 1935 on the Villalobillos family estate in the municipality of Corral de Almaguer at an altitude of 708 metres. They are dry-farmed on limestone soil.
Colour: Golden yellow in colour.
Aroma: Intense aromas, with prominent notes from its fermentation and subsequent barrel ageing. It begins with coconut and vanilla aromas, followed by spices and fine herbs.
Palate: On the palate, the volume from lees work is well-balanced with well-managed acidity. Flavorful, lively, and broad in the finish, with a saline touch that makes it very intriguing.
Finca Villalobillos “Pie Franco” Barrel Fermented Airen pairs well with seafood (grilled fish, shellfish), white meats or vegetable dishes with asparagus or artichokes.
For the cheeseboard, try with soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert or La Retorta.
