2017 Bernabeleva Arroyo del Tortolas

The Spanish winery Bernabeleva is located in the village of San Martín de Valdeiglesias , about 80km west of Madrid and is part of the Vinos de Madrid appellation. The Vinos de Madrid appellation can be further subdivided into 3 highly divergent sub areas, namely Arganda, Navalcarnero and San Martín de Valdeiglesias. The latter is located in the southwest is the smallest area of the Appallatieon and also the most spectacular area. It is quite mountainous with almost only granite origin bottoms. The area is quite cold and has the most rainfall compared to Arganda and Navalcarnero.

Led by Marc Isart and Raul Perez, this young winery Bernabeleva has severely hammered on the road with the little elevated and already very old Grenache vineyard. It is definitely a beautifully situated vineyard of over 80 years old located on the top of the hill at 700 meters . The bottom is a thin layer of compacted granite. The height (more coolness is very favorable) and the unique terroir ensure very high quality wines in which the characteristics of the vineyard and its surroundings are brought out. Bernabeleva's Grenache wines are considered to be the most elegant and refined in Spain. This is partly supported by the high ratings of the international wine press such as Parker and Penin.

Bernabeleva winery (the name literally means: the path of the bear) ensures in leaf management that the trusses remain in the shade, and in addition, harvesting takes place earlier in warm years. The 35-hectare vineyard is ecologically processed and natural compost is used, supplied by its own livestock. The winery is in conversion to biodynamic. For their wines they have very old sticks (there are even 100+ year old Albillo sticks).

The great wines of Marc and Raul deliver very high scores year after year. Elegance at its best and no average.

GUÍA EDICIÓN PEÑÍN Jul-18 2019
VINO AÑADA PUNTUACIÓN
NAVAHERREROS BLANCO 2016 - 93
CANTOCUERDAS ALBILLO 2016 - 92
CANTOCUERDAS MOSCATEL SECO 2016 - 91
MANCHOMUELAS 2016 - 93
NAVAHERREROS TINTO 2016 - 92
CARRIL DEL REY 2016 - 96
ARROYO DEL TÓRTOLAS 2016 - 95
VIÑA BONITA 2016 - 94
CANTOCUERDAS MOSCATEL DULCE 2016 - 92

Bodega Bernabeleva has a turbulent history. It was founded in 1923 by Álvarez-Villamil. He was convinced that the climatic conditions in this almost inhospitable part of Spain were ideal (and borrowed!) For planting garnacha (grenache). The first years passed quickly, but when the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, Alvarez was forced to stop his activities. Although the family continued to live on the estate, there was no question of grape harvest and wine production for decades.

It was not until 2006 that wine was bottled again under the domain name. It was the great-grandchildren Juan Diez Bulnes and Santiago Matallana Bulnes who decided more than 10 years ago to continue the work of their pioneering great-grandfather. Successfully! We have been following the domain closely for some time now and again and again we are amazed - in a positive sense - about the quality jumps that are being made. Pleasant extra: at Bodega Bernabeleva, people work completely organically, without pursuing a biological or biodynamic certification.