Cerro Negro 2020

Nito Alegre Soler and Fransico Bosco are carving  their future back in the sleepy village which lends its name to their Bodegas. They recognise  that the old mountainous vineyards benefitting from age, altitude ,Mediterranean and continental influences could find a new following with a hands-off approach in the vineyard and winery  Along with loyal local support provides a superb opportunity for them both to make a name for the region.

The cellar is Located at 923 meters above sea level with vineyards which range in height from 900 meters to 1100, consisting of Bobal, Mencia, Merseguera and Macabeo planted on clay,  sandstone, slate - even fossilised oysters and coral -ranging in age from 20 to 80 years. The work is done by hand using only organic materials where necessary. The dry arid conditions and cold winters give an air of tension to the fruit, which is evident in the wines. The cellar is the local, tiny, abandoned cooperative building which they have restored and installed stainless steel fermentation vats, amphora and clay jars for ageing. Pressing is done in basket presses and ferments are spontaneous. The idea here is to try and capture the terroir of the region with as little outside interference as possible.

Cerro Negro 2019 is a very unique red Mencia wine. It opens a new precedent in its universe since its plot "El Masecillo" is at an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level in DO Valencia. It is probably the highest Mencía in the Iberian Peninsula. Unlike the Galician and Leonese Mencías, Cerro Negro has a markedly Mediterranean profile thanks to its climate and the undergrowth that surrounds it. Its vines are rooted on compacted calcareous silts in the form of fractured strata that offer the plant the possibility of deepening its roots in a staggered way, absorbing an evident minerality. Its harvest by hand allows us to select a percentage of clusters that at the time of the incubation enter with their stem to fermentation,With this technique and careful aging in barrels and steel tanks, we create a gastronomic wine with a great aromatic opening and balance.