BARRANCO OSCURO
Andalucia, Spain
IT GROWS ON THE MOUNTAINS!
Manuel Valenzuela has been a pioneer in Spain in the production of organic and natural wines. He arrived with his family, in 1979, at Cortijo Barranco Oscuro with the motivation of living in the countryside after leaving the big city. He bought an old country house in the Alpujarra region at the top of a little mountain range called Sierra de la Contraviesa, 1.300m above sea level and only 10km from the sea. This is a beautiful place, hard to live as it is quite isolated and rough to get to. A very special place.
Manuel was called a visionary hermit, dreamer and poet and began what years later would be a true wine revolution in the Alpujarra, demonstrating the possibilities of this lands climate.
He was a pioneer making red wines in Andalusia, he recovered the native Vigiriega and produced the first Andalusian cava. His most emblematic red, the "1368 Pago Cerro Las Monjas" his greatest display of wisdom and faith. This has been recognized by numerous experts.
The 12 hectares of vineyards, located at the top of the Sierra de la Contraviesa, are the highest vineyards in Europe cultivated naturally. The soil is mainly schist, very stony. Rainfalls are rare (400 lit./year) and the yields are very low which gives a tremendous concentration in the grape. With all the Andalusian sun and at this altitude, the result is powerful. The wines are mineral, deep and long, with high natural acidity and a low ph.
Lorenzo is Manuel's son and since he was a child he has always been involved in the tasks of the field and the winery. Since 2003 he already does it professionally. Together they produce about 20 references a year of white, red, sweet and sparkling wines. They work with more than 30 different grape varieties, some still in experimentation.
The elaboration is totally natural, without the addition of sulphites, with spontaneous fermentations and without additives of any kind. The average annual production is 30,000 bottles.