Uvas Felices

Vila Viniteca exclusively represents internationally some Spanish cellars. These concern wine making projects in association with some of the most renowned national winemakers. Some of these projects form Uvas Felices (“Happy Grapes”).

CA N'ESTRUC. DO Catalunya

Ca N'Estruc estate, with its origins in the wine world since 1548, is located on the slopes of the mountain of Montserrat, in Esparreguera (near Barcelona). Francisco Martí cultivates his own 26 hectares of vineyards, located at an altitude of 165 m. It has a singular microclimate which protects vines from the cold north winds. The estate has cool summers and mild winters with an average annual temperature of 14.1°C. Plantations are perfectly orientated to optimize the sunshine. Small stainless steel tanks of 2,500 litres allow them to elaborate different batches according to each vineyard, variety and vine age. The batches are not blended until the bottling stage. French oak barrels from Dargaud & Jaegle, Boutes and Seguin Moreau are used for the ageing. The winery produces the young wines Ca N'Estruc Blanc, Rosat and Negre, Ca N'Estruc Xarel·lo and others oak barrel aged such as Idoia Blanc, Idoia Negre, L'Equilibrista Blanc, L'Equilibrista Negre and a very special cuvée, L'Equilibrista Garnatxa. + information

L'ORIGAN. DO Cava

In 1998 Manel Martínez, with his son Carlos, started up the L'Origan project, an exclusive and elegant cava that has its origins in 1906. That year the first underground cellar in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia was built, which led to one of the first wineries. The cellar is 1,286 m2, from which 928 are underground corridors with vaulted ceilings. Cuvées are produced using stainless steel tanks of 5,000, 1,000 and 3,000 litres. Some base wines are fermented in French oak barrels. The underground natural conditions contributes to maintain a stable temperature of 18ºC, absolute darkness, absence of noise and vibration, in order that future cava ages in perfect conditions. One of the underground corridors is exclusively dedicated to the ageing of different vintages and blends in magnum bottles, to be used for future editions. In 2010 Aire de L'Origan brut nature apeared, a millesimé cava. + information

EL PERRO VERDE. DO Rueda

After working in different wineries, Angel Lorenzo Cachazo, born into a family always linked to winemaking, launched his own winery in 1987. In 2005, with his son Javier, he started elaborating El Perro Verde. The soil is not compact, with a fairly high percentage of stone and limestone. The climate is continental with an Atlantic influence. Average rainfall per year is 300-500 mm, with 2,544 average sunshine hours per year. The average temperature during the growing season is 24.6ºC and the temperature during the ripening period varies between 11ºC and 27ºC. The grapes come from different vineyards, 25% Rodilana, 25% Bobadilla del Campo and 50% from “El Sotillo” Pozaldez. The vineyards, between 700 and 800m in altitude, are planted ranging from 1,600 to 2,500 vines/ha. Vineyards are conducted in guyot pruning, and trellising. Yields range between 9,000 and 9,500 kg/ha. The grapes are harvested in September, stemmed and crushed, and then they undergo a short maceration at 10°C for 12 hours. The must is fermented at 18ºC in stainless steel tanks. + information

FENOMENAL. DO Rueda

Fenomenal is the latest project of the Cachazo family for Uvas Felices. The grapes come from vineyards planted in limestone soil. The climate is continental with Atlantic influence. Average annual rainfall is 300-500 mm. The average temperature during the growing season is 24.6ºC and from 11ºC to 27ºC in the ripening period. Fenomenal 2012 is an blend of Verdejo and Viura. The Verdejo comes from Bobadilla del Campo and Viura from different plots located in La Seca. + information

EL JARDÍN DE LUCÍA. DO Rías Baixas

Launched in 2009, El Jardín de Lucía is elaborated by Eulogio Pomares Zarate from a selection of Albariños from small holdings of 20 small growers from “Val do Salnés” in the apellation Rías Baixas. Average age of the vines is 15 years, with the vineyards located in the municipalities of Cambados and Ribadumia, in a sub-area known for its warm and humid climate and shallow, sandy soils, which is ideal for growing this variety. All the grapes are handpicked and carried in individual batches of 16 kg. The best bunches are selected fowolling rigorous quality control. Grapes are vinified in stainless steel with the latest technology in order to highlight the primary flavors of Albariño. + information

SOSPECHOSO. VT Castilla

Marcos Eguren is a fourth-generation member of a wine making family from Sonsierra in Rioja. His great-grandfather Amancio started selling his own wine in the villages nearby, and his father Guillermo founded Bodegas Sierra Cantabria in 1957. After studying enology in Madrid, in 1978 Marcos joined the family business which he now runs along with his brother Miguel and his brother-in-law Jesús. Today they own three wineries in La Rioja: Sierra Cantabria, Señorío de San Vicente and Viñedos de Páganos. They are in the process of finishing their fourth cellar, Viñedos Sierra Cantabria. They also own the winery Dominio de Eguren where they produce Vinos de Castilla, and their latest Toro winery in Valdefinjas, Teso La Monja. They cultivate more than 140 hectares in La Rioja and 140 in Toro. Sospechoso is the latest release from Castilla, a joint venture between Eguren and Uvas Felices. One wine with six different labels portraying “suspects”. They produce red, white and rosé wines. + information

VENTA LAS VACAS. DO Ribera del Duero

Project started in 2009. Juan Carlos Vizcarra produces this wine from 100% Tinta del País from the vineyards Tras de San Pedro and Las Arras, in the province of Burgos. These 15-year-old vineyards occupy seven hectares of calcareous clay soils with a trellis conduction system and an yeild of 4,500 kg/ha. The hand-picked harvest takes place during the month of October and only the best bunches are selected. Later in the winery there is an even more rigorous selection, grape by grape. They are the cold macerated for 5 days at 12ºC. Subsequently, vinification starts in stainless steel tanks of 16,000 litres and then fermented in new barrels of one and two wines. The wine is aged for twelve months in 225 and 400 litres barrels, and then two months in tank prior to being bottled. + information

PAISAJES. DOCa Rioja

Project iniciated in 1998 with Miguel Ángel de Gregorio's knowledge of La Rioja (Allende, Calvario, Aurus) and his experience as fine wine maker. Several plots were selected from different growers looking for very special wines. From the beginning and throughout the 13 vintages vinified until today, Paisajes philosophy has been seeking unique terroirs and working to obtain delicate and fragrant wines, avoiding wood and extraction styles. Wines to enjoy at the table, some in their third year after harvest, and others over a longer period of refinement in bottle. They all embody the essence of their own terroir. Paisajes Valsalado brings together the four different varieties, from 57 to 60-year-old vines randomly planted in one hectare of clay and gravel soil, located in Logroño. Paisajes La Pasada comes from a vineyard in Briones planted on a gravely and clay soil with Tempranillo vines aged 57 to 60 years old. Paisajes Cecias comes from a 2.4 ha planted with an outstanding 85-year-old Grenache. The soil is a combination of limestone and marl slate.

LA LOCOMOTORA. DOCa Rioja

Miguel Ángel de Gregorio Sánchez is a key figure on the wine making scene in La Rioja. At the age of 9 months he moved from La Mancha to La Rioja, where his father worked as vineyard foreman for the iconic Marqués de Murrieta winery. After studying agronomisty and taking several masters in Madrid, in 1989 he started working in La Rioja. In 1997 he decided to devote all of his time to his own personal project: Finca Allende. First vintages were produced in a XVII century cellar he rented in Briones. Afterwards, he moved to another one in San Asensio, until 2002 when his new winery-palace in Briones was built. From the first mould-breaking 1995 Allende and 1996 Avrvs, he has since been gathering wisdom with each sucessive vintage. In 1998 he embarked upon the Paisajes project in collaboration with Uvas Felices, to bottle singular vineyards. La Locomotora is the latest project of Miguel Ángel and Uvas Felices in La Rioja, loyal to the classic-contemporary style of long-life wines, their bottles radiate a special energy. La Locomotora Crianza is 100% tempranillo aged 12 months in French oak barrels and La Locomotora Reserva Limitada aged 24 months in new French oak barrels. + information

VIÑA AL LADO DE LA CASA. DO Yecla

VIÑA DETRÁS DE LA CASA. DO Yecla

Project started in 1998. On a visit to Bodegas Castaño in 1999, we tasted three exceptional 1998 Monastrell wines that were part of Castaño's family samples vinified for each vintage. Passionate and surprised by the uniqueness of the wine, we asked them to bottle it exclusively for us. So began the first vintage of Viña al Lado de la Casa 13 years ago with a production of 2,000 bottles. With the vinage of 2001, Detrás de la Casa was born. It was made with the finest wines not used in the final blend of Viña al Lado de la Casa. We decided to bottle it separately due to its excellent quality and personality. In 2004 Castaño and Uvas Felices acquired a 14 ha estate in “Las Gateras” area. Currently they own 45 ha planted in goblet system, mainly with Monastrell, Syrah and Garnacha tintorera varieties. + information

EL HOMBRE BALA. DO Vinos de Madrid

LA MUJER CAÑÓN. DO Vinos de Madrid

REINA DE LOS DESEOS. DO Vinos de Madrid

The project started in 2010 with the three winemakers/vinegrowers of Comando G; Fernando García (Bodegas Marañones) and Daniel Gómez Jiménez-Landi (Bodegas Jiménez-Landi). Joining forces with Uvas Felices, two wines were developed using old Garnacha vines, in the Gredos mountain range. Four different vineyards of between 50 and 90 years old, located in three villages to the west of Madrid: Cadalso de los Vidrios, Cenicientos and Rozas de Puerto Real. The harvest of each vineyard begins at the optimum moment of ripeness. “El Hombre Bala” is the earliest to begin (from 20th September to mid-October), and a little later for “La Mujer Cañón” (second half of October). Grape maceration lasts an average of 30 days at low temperature and fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in oak barrels and wooden vats. Finally, wine is aged in barrels of different sizes in order to attain depth, complexity and balance. These are wines that reflect the varying character of the Garnacha grown in the Gredos mountain range. El Hombre Bala + information La Mujer Cañón + information Reina de los Deseos  + informtion