BODEGA CERRÓN DOMINATES THE PODIUM AND IS AWARDED THE MAXIMUM SCORE OF 100 POINTS FOR ITS “EL CERRICO”, WHILE ITS “LOS YESARES 2022” IS RANKED BEST RED WINE OF THE YEAR SCORING 98 POINTS.
“PARAJES DEL VALLE MONASTRELL 2022” IS RANKED BEST VALUE FOR MONEY WINE OF THE YEAR.
Jumilla, 19th August 2024. The wines of the Spanish “Levante”, as it is called by experts on this area of Spain in which the appellations of the Valencia and Murcia regions are found, claimed success with very high rankings in the recent “Discover Spain” report, which Tim Atkin, wine writer and Master of Wine with over 30 years’ experience in the sector, has just released with wine writer Beth Willard. The report, in which several wines from the Jumilla DOP achieved very high scores, is an essential reference for both wine professionals and wine enthusiasts. In it, the Atkin team ranks the wines of Cantabria, Castilla y León, Extremadura, La Mancha, Levante, Navarra and the Basque Country, drawing attention to their importance and special interest.
A total of 21 wines from the Jumilla DOP achieved the special rating of 90 points or above with Bodega Cerrón Stratum Wines leading the way with two of its wines figuring in the report’s top 15 and even achieving the top two positions in the overall ranking. El Cerrico, produced from very old ungrafted vines, stole the show and was awarded the maximum 100 points, while Los Yesares 2022 Monastrell scored 98 points. The two were ranked first and second respectively in the overall rankings.
Viña Elena, Carchelo, Parajes del Valle, Dobledepérez, Luzón and Ego figured in the select group of highly-rated wineries, winning awards for the high quality of their wines. It was particularly interesting that among the highest rated wines, two of them were white. Jumilla thus is no longer a region of just red wines. Growers continue to follow traditional practices, respecting their terroir, in order to produce white wines of outstanding quality and character.
The wines awarded 90 points or higher were as follows:
RED WINES
98 points: LOS YESARES 2022, BODEGA CERRÓN STRATUM WINES
95 points: LA SERVIL 2022, BODEGA CERRÓN STRATUM WINES
95 points: BRUMA PARCELA VEREDA 2022, BODEGAS VIÑA ELENA
94 points: MATAS ALTAS 2022, BODEGA CERRÓN STRATUM WINES
94 points: GUARAFÍA GARNACHA 2023, BODEGAS CARCHELO
93 points: TERRAJE 2021, PARAJES DEL VALLE BODEGAS Y VIÑEDOS
93 points: BRUMA FINCA CQ 2022, BODEGAS VIÑA ELENA
92 points: ALTICO 2021, BODEGAS CARCHELO
92 points: MURI VETERES 2021, BODEGAS CARCHELO
92 points: CAMALEÓNICA 2022, DOBLEDEPÉREZ MICROBODEGA
91 points: SELECTO 2016, BODEGAS CARCHELO
91 points: POR TÍ 2020, BODEGAS LUZÓN
91 points: ACUMA 2023, EGO BODEGAS
91 points: PARAJES DEL VALLE MONASTRELL ECOLÓGICO 2022, PARAJES DEL VALLE BODEGAS Y VIÑEDOS
90 points: CARCHELO 2022, BODEGAS CARCHELO
90 points: FINCA LUZÓN SIN SULFITOS 2023, BODEGAS LUZÓN
90 points: EL GORU 2023, EGO BODEGAS
90 points: EL TALENTO ECO BY EGO, EGO BODEGAS 2023
90 points: BRUMA PARAJE MARÍN 2023, BODEGAS VIÑA ELENA
WHITE WINES
100 points: EL CERRICO 2021, BODEGA CERRÓN STRATUM WINES
90 points: BRUMA PARAJE LAS ENCEBRAS 2023, BODEGAS VIÑA ELENA
Tim Atkin MW explained that “these choices truly illustrate the diversity and quality of the current wine-growing panorama in Spain”. Of the 648 samples tasted, 205 wines were awarded 90 points or over. These were divided into 108 reds, 75 whites, 8 rosés, 4 sweets, 7 sparkling wines and 3 fortified wines. It was the first time that Tim Atkin and his team had tasted in the Jumilla region, and with this new report it is hoped that they will do the same at least once a year in the future.
Other wineries in the Jumilla DOP were awarded scores of over 86 points. These were: Alceño, Pío del Ramo, Silvano García, García Carrión 1890, Asensio Carcelén, Bleda, BSI, Juan Gil, Olivares, Salzillo, San Dionisio, Casa de la Ermita, Finca el Olmillo, Sierra Norte, Torrecastillo and Xenysel.
About the Jumilla Protected Designation of Origin and its old vines.
The Jumilla Protected Designation of Origin has a wine-growing tradition that can be traced back to 3000 years BC through discoveries of vitis vinífera, together with utensils and archaeological remains, which are the oldest in Europe.
The production area, which ranges from 320 to 980 metres altitude and is divided by mountains rising to 1,380 metres into two zones: one in the extreme south-east of Albacete province, which includes the municipalities of Hellín, Montealegre del Castillo, Fuente Álamo, Ontur, Albatana and Tobarra, and the other in Murcia province with the municipality of Jumilla. The whole appellation covers over 20,000 hectares of vines, most of which are dry-farmed and grown as bush vines. The soils are mainly limestone.
The area of old vines grown in the Jumilla DOP makes up over 12% of the total surface area with the Monastrell variety being the most planted (90% of the old vines). It is estimated that a large proportion of these old vines are ungrafted and cover at least 1,000 hectares. These are made up of 89% Monastrell, 6% Airén and 3% Garnacha Tintorera.
The region’s climatic characteristics of very low rainfall, barely reaching 300mm a year, and over 3,000 hours of sunshine annually provide optimal conditions for the practice of organic farming, which is carried out in the majority of the appellation’s vineyards.
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