Spain has just about the longest winemaking tradition in the world. It actually predates the founding of Rome by millenia. And yet today it is also one of the most dynamic winemaking countries in the... Read More
Spain has just about the longest winemaking tradition in the world. It actually predates the founding of Rome by millenia. And yet today it is also one of the most dynamic winemaking countries in the world, thanks largely to young winemakers who are out in droves. Some are on the experimental cutting edge. Others are strict traditionalists, preserving their heritage.
But others, like Juan Antonio Ponce, fall somewhere in the middle, taking heritage grapes that have only been used for rustic country wines, and showing that with diligent farming and careful winemaking they can make complex, nuanced wines.
Ponce has a head start on making great wine, with varied, rocky terroir, old vines and a deep drive to preserve and elevate his inheritance. He works biodynamically and with minimal interventions (natural yeasts only). This wine is a far cry from the bulk wines mostly produced in the region. And yet the prices remain incredible.