So far we learnt that the brand name is dedicated to an artist and intellectual guy. What else now? When Mariano opted to plant the first vineyard, he became a pioneer in the recovery of any viticultural activity in the small area of “El Canalizo” and “Montón de Piñas”, near the Sanctuary of the Virgen de El Henar, harmoniously surrounded by pine trees. The couple cultivates 5.5 ha of property vineyards located 3 km from the village of Cuellar. All the work in the vineyard is done according to organic ideology and practices (allready certified). Many wines have produced under different experimental approaches and circumstances leading to vinifications which are truly natural (Malaparte attends the RAW wine fair organized by Isabel Legeron and some other artisanal wine fairs in Europe). Cuellar, 60 km north of Segovia, has a fairly cold continental climate in winter and hot summers with an average altitude of roughly 900 meters above sea level. The temperature’s excursions are noticeable and between the maximum and the minimum during the year it’s not uncommon going from minus 10 Celsius to 40 degree Celsius in the middle of the summer. The area is characterized by a pine forest surrounding all the hectares planted with vines protected by natural vegetable cover and sitting on layers of limestone mixed with sand and clay. The yields are rather low: 3,000 kg of grapes per hectare with an annual production that reaches 20.000 bottles. In the cellar Ruben and Elisa produce wine according to different styles and techniques that can vary from the use of tanks, old barriques and centennial clay pots, a vessel historically common in many parts of Spain and not just something trendy to use. This limited production is focused on the red varieties Tempranillo, Syrah and Garnacha (whose bush trained vineyard is 70 year old), while Ruben and Elisa in more recent years have embraced the cultivation of some white varieties like Albillo Mayor, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Godello, Verdejo, etc. Many Malaparte’s wines are completely declassified on the market and simply labeled as Vino de Mesa, being produced outside the criteria of the Vino de Tierra de Castilla y Leon local appellation. All the wines released contain minimum quantities of added sulphites. That guarantee its stability over time. Since 2020 they have been working on their plots with biodynamic preparations.
El vino ha de ser el reflejo de algo, sencillo en si mismo, que nos ata a la tierra como la cepa lo está a su vez al suelo. La perfección en su elaboración consiste en lograr que la técnica esté tan integrada en el vino que pase desapercibida y esto sucede cuando la mano del hombre consigue camuflarse en el vino de manera que parezca que las uvas no se han tocado, respetando los ciclos naturales y poniendo en valor los efectos diversos de la climatología sobre el viñedo y respetándolos.
Cuando caminas por el viñedo, en un segundo, te llevas prendido en la ropa para siempre el perfume de la aventura. El aroma del tomillo, lavanda, romero, olor a campo abierto, a tarde, a caza y a plumas. Y cuantos de esos aromas nos encontramos en el vino después de una primavera y un verano de convivencia con los pinos, cantuesos, espliegos, salvias, tomillos, jaras y siemprevivas.
Jaras de olor penetrante en verano. Los cantuesos son el adorno inseparable del monte bajo, hierba de San Juan, que inunda el aire con su aroma agreste. El espliego, entre el cantueso y la salvia, maravilla de virtudes, de fragancia fuerte y montaraz, que la convierte en sabroso aderezo. La salvia, en el pasado usada para calentar y aromar hornos, es otra de las entrañables sensaciones de nuestro campo. El tomillo de pedregal y erial, de profundo perfume, resinoso y esenciado. Las siemprevivas, delicia de paladares agradecidos.
El final del verano se acerca, las sombras de los pinos comienzan a ser alargadas. Es tiempo de vendimia.
