Cien Y Pico was created by four winemakers (Australian Zar Brooks, his Bulgarian wife Elena Golakova Brooks, Spaniard Luis Jimenez Garcia and Italian Nicola Tucci), when they came across, and were amazed that people were grubbing up, old Garnacha Tintorera vines in Manchuela in south-eastern Spain. The name means “hundred and something” and refers to the age of the ancient vines from which the wines are made. The old, low-yielding, bush-trained vines give vibrant colour, fruit concentration and flavour to the wines, while the excellence of the winemaking ensures that the natural power of the vines, traditionally used to produce blending wines, is sculpted into something nicely rounded, balanced and ideal for drinking now.

Cien Y Pico’s four vineyards are all located on the Meseta (or “plateau”) of Castilla-La Mancha. With only 300 millimetres of rain per year, the plateau is extremely dry, though the deep-rooted, gnarled old vines thrive in the low-vigour, limestone-rich soils. The mountains surrounding the Meseta offer protection from the icy winters while, in summer, the intense sun at this altitude of nearly 1,000 metres warms and ripens the grapes to perfection.

Vineyards

Cien y Pico’s vineyards are all located on the Meseta, or ‘plateau’, of Castila-La-Mancha. With only 300mm of rain per year, the plateau is extremely dry; the deep-rooted old vines thrive in the low vigour soils. The mountains surrounding the Meseta offer protection from the icy winters, while in summer the intense sun at this altitude of nearly 1,000 metres warms and ripens the grapes to perfection. The ancient plantings of Bobal vines survive between rocky outcrops that cover the vineyards, where the soils are made up of limestone rich sedimentary red sand and clay.

Vinification

The four winemakers modestly refer to the wine as ‘fresh-picked fruit off the vine during harvest with just a little winemaking’. Vinification is very traditional and simple, with very little intervention. Grapes are fermented on their skins for 12 days. The wine is aged in 225 litre barriques for 6 months.

Tasting Notes

A vibrant nose which shows abundant fruit, along with chocolate and earthy notes. Blackberries, blackcurrant and cinnamon spice, along with cocoa and mulberry on the palate. It is soft with juicy tannins, and an uplifting fresh fruit finish.

Drink with grilled meats, particularly lamb or goat. Goes really well with a kebab!