Authenticity is the goal
THE GENEALOGICAL JOURNEY OF PEIQUE
The coquettish headquarters of this winery has been sheltered between the hills of Valtuille de Abajo, in one of the most valued and most thoroughbred areas of the entire region. Upon arrival, no hostess or commercial attends the visit. First point in your favor . And it is that the journey through its entrails, history and curiosities it is done by the hand of a family member , of some heir who, in one way or another, has maintained the good work and the philosophy of grandfather Ramón . Because, as much as in any winery tour the tasting notes and the specificities of the land have their share of glory, here what prevails is the inheritance , the anecdote and the business venture.
Walking through the vines near its headquarters, many things are learned. Since El Bierzo is a land of small smallholdings with surnames that make it practically impossible for a large wine group to come and homogenize everything until most of its vineyards are over 80 years old. In fact, in proportion, it is the Denomination of Origin with the highest percentage of old vines in the world . Hence, the grapes that come out of these plants are of supreme quality. This differentiating fact, together with the end of cooperatives at the turn of the century and the oenological boom in more peripheral Spain, prompted the Clan Peique to create their own brand, honor the native varieties that grew on their land and embark on the adventure of producing wine.
Once it is known that here we come to talk about people and not so much about construction materials or advertising hyperbole, it is time to return to the ship, cross its production rooms and verify that they are in full expansion. Yes indeed, little by little and with the prudence that characterizes this land (and that, together with his lesser fame and his little desire for exhibitionism, are the nails of his cross). For now, the new social area that has just been finished off is already an advance of wood and light that adds a future to the past of its origins and to the present of those wines in which the two trendy grapes: Godello and Mencía.
“You have to take great care of a wine that bears your last name, you have to feel the most proud of it”. (Jorge Peique)
THE WINERY THAT NEVER CLOSES
Disassociate Palacio de Canedo and its brand for everything, Prada a Tope, from Joseph Louis Prada It is impossible and reckless. And it is that this man has been able to revolutionize everything in El Bierzo, starting with a shoe store where the best Camper models were sold back in the 70s, followed by a mansion in Cacabelos where free wine was offered to pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago and ending, for example, with the first Tesla charging station in the entire northwest of the country. Along the way there are more feats, such as that of that franchise system with his name with which to spread the best products of this land throughout Spain and the one that we have come to talk about here: his winery and his wine tourism hotel.
Of course, the powerful personality of José Luis is present in this noble mansion from the 18th century that he rehabilitated with great care and rusticity to convert it into a hotel and a warehouse . In fact, he himself is an attraction to her, as he passes visitors and guests and blurts out his famous "Full!" with which he has done brand and slogan . But beyond the character's seduction, his exhibitor spirit and his love for this region permeates everything. For example, the winemaking area is always open and browsing is free for anyone curious (although It has guided tours with tasting, already paid ) and the vineyards that lie around it have perfectly signposted paths that are accessible to any type of visitor. A perfect weekend in his domain cannot be completed without visiting his store, a spectacular display of delicious and artisanal food preparations and without experiencing the gastronomic and autochthonous warmth from his restaurant.
Prada A Tope, the eternal classic
AN OASIS OF STONE BETWEEN VINEYARDS
Luna Beberide is almost a secret, but what a secret! His industrial warehouse has the incentive of what is produced here and that comes from the times in which the patriarch of the family left the cooperative, he contacted some of the most famous winemakers from Ribera de Duero and it was proposed to make the wine as in the best coordinates of the country. A commitment that, in the long run, has allowed its references to gain international weight and that there is no great winemaker in the area who is not inspired by their way of caring for the land, the land and the grapes. However, for those who do not appreciate wine so much or are looking for a more 'beautiful' experience, Valdetruchas is your destiny.
It is a small complex that the winery has on the outskirts of Villafranca del Bierzo , a kind of capsule of stone and wood where there is no lack the family mansion, the tireless fountain, the tiled floor and the granary at the entrance . A combination that is sublimated with the vineyards that surround the complex and that cry out to be walked, caressed and browsed. This area is the wine tourism axis of the winery and from where they depart their visits, adventures on horseback or by bicycle that can end up joining the pilgrims which, just a few meters away, face the descent to the hermitage of Santiago and to its famous door of forgiveness.
Shhh...
THE HOLLYWOOD OF TILENUS
This winery is bipolar for different reasons. Originally, it has two names - Stephanie and Tilenus - with which to designate and that preside over a large part of its signage and brand. However, for the wine tourism public, Tilenus is more special because of the history behind it (it is the romanization of the name of a great Celtic warrior) and because, when it goes out into the open mountains, it has its moment of glory, which we will detail later. But this double face can already be seen at its headquarters, among the bright and state-of-the-art warehouses and the large vats where the grapes are still harvested by treading, one of its main wine tourism attractions in September and October. Also because of that combination of modern interior design, current wines and rustic exterior appearance that it inherits from its past as a dairy and that gives it a charismatic touch.
However, its main treasure is the landscapes of its payments, located on vertiginous slopes and stark ridges. Many of its vines are over 100 years old and have survived in these remote areas thanks to their remoteness and inaccessibility. . Walking them is admiring the harvesters and farmers who pamper them throughout the year. And, also, take a photo next to the wooden typographic sculpture that says 'Tilenus' and that presides over the valley as if it were the famous Los Angeles sign. It is true that wine tourism should never be conceived without a vineyard, but in this case the pairing is even more flagrant and attractive.
Bodegas Estefanía: are you already looking forward to discovering them?
SUNSET OVER GODELIA
The location of this thriving winery has two types of coordinates. A first that places it in the heart of this Denomination of Origin, in a rustic-style building but with good intentions that has become another icon in its image. Inside it breathes modernity ( barely a decade old ), and not only because everything is shiny, but because when you cross the invisible border to get to their barrels and tanks, you can see that they work with the latest technologies here. This, together with the know-how of its professionals and the love they put into the explanations, means that any visitor understands why their wines have managed to seduce the most demanding specialists.
The second way of placing Godelia is below the Celtic and Roman settlement of Castro Windy . The ruins of what was once a walled town with which the entire region was governed allow us to understand even more the characteristics of the area. They say that the Romans were the ones who introduced the vine to these lands, so it is not crazy to think that the abandoned vineyards that lie on the hillside occupy the same land as the Hispania plantations. Beyond history, before the view, the panorama gives a landscape made up of patches of colors and soils, which explains why each bierzo wine is so different. Even in the highest surrounding peaks, some vines can be seen that take advantage of the slate and the microclimate. a. And in the end, seeing how the sun hides like the Sil behind the Galician mountains puts an idyllic final touch to any wine day in El Bierzo.
Bodegas Godelia: landscapes that make you fall in love