Cien Y Pico Doble Pasta 2024

Cien Y Pico Doble Pasta

Region: Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Vintage: 2024

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Manchuela Garnacha, Tintorera

ABV: 14%

The nose reveals ripe black cherry and plum layered with blackberry compote, violets and a touch of sweet spice. Hints of liquorice, cocoa and a subtle savoury edge add complexity. On the palate it is full-bodied and richly textured, with concentrated dark fruit framed by firm yet polished tannins and a fresh line of acidity that keeps the wine balanced. The finish is long and persistent, with notes of dark chocolate, spice and ripe berry fruit.

This vineyard is located in Mahora, a tiny village next to Albacete, between Madrid and Alicante on the coast. It is located on a wide, dry plateau 1000 metres above sea level, surrounded by mountains that offer protection from the icy cold winters. The soil here is composed of limestone rich, red, sandy Miocene era sedimentary clay and the yield is approximately 3.3 tonnes per hectare.

The ancient, free standing bush vines were grown on their own roots with just 300mm of rain a year, yielding tiny but intense crops of deeply coloured Garnacha Tintorera. 'Doble Pasta' is a method of winemaking where crushed grapes were fermented over additional grape skins to create a dark, concentrated wine. They were then vinified traditionally with some new French oak.

When four winemakers, Zar Brooks and Elena Golakova Brooks (Dandelion Vineyards), Luis Jiménez García and Nicola Tucci, discovered old Garnacha Tintorera vines in Manchuela, they were shocked to find them being dug up. Their determination to save and celebrate these ancient vines led to the founding of Cien y Pico. The project's name translates to ‘hundred and something’ as a nod to the age of these historic vineyards.