Abeica is now run by Riccardo and David Fernandez, cousins in their mid 20’s, who have taken the family’s vineyards in Abalos and San Vicente and pointed them in a direction of travel toward single parcel terroir driven styles, in a similar vein to Jose Gil, Carlos Sanchez and Artuke. They own some of the most venerable parcels of Tempranillo and Viura in Abalos, the village where Tempranillo achieves high acid, and therefore freshness in the wines, as a result of altitude and high limestone content. They currently sell 60% of their crop to major wine producers in the region who pay the highest price for their fruit. The tradition of the winery is that all wines, including Gran Reservas, are made by Carbonic Maceration. This still exists for Chulato and Coleccion Vinedos, and for the Crianza wines when the vintage feels right. For the single parcel wines it is a slow, destemmed un-crushed ferment and 18months to 2 years in aged 600 litre French oak.

Chulato is one of our best-selling wines, still inspired by a style their grandfather produced in the 80’s. Coleccion is a pure expression of Abalos terroir, fruit forward, bright acidity and ripe structured fruit. Their white wine, Abaris, is produced from two old vine plots of Viura that have been planted here, to their knowledge for over 180 years (albeit the vines are 60 years and 40 years!). El Bardallo is fast becoming one of the ‘crus’ of the region. The vineyard borders Labastida and San Vicente and seems to capture the very best of both villages. Elegant, perfumed and showing weight without weight, it is a wine to behold. Caranillo is a single parcel from Abalos, blend of Garnacha Tempranillo and Viura from 80 year old vines. Mazuelo is exactly that, but one of Spain’s better examples, by far.