Esteban Celemin's wines are the result of a decade-long passion project that was sparked by his belief in the incredible potential of the nearly extinct Albillo Real grape variety. His hometown of Castronuño, located in the Castilla y Leon region on the southern bend of the Duero River, has a rich history of cultivating Albillo Real, in contrast to the surrounding areas where Tempranillo and Verdejo are the preferred varieties in Toro and Rueda. Even though many of the vineyards in the area had been uprooted and replaced in the 70s, Esteban managed to find five very small and old vineyards, which he dedicated himself to saving and revitalizing. the sandy soils in this area are the reason these old grape varieties survived phylloxera and continue to produce grapes today. Esteban has taken cuttings from varying old plants to bring genetic diversity to a small limestone plot where his youngest vines now grow. The 'estate' is a mere 2 hectares, but Esteban also works closely with some trusted friends' vines, all of which he farms organically and with minimal intervention in the cellar. Esteban's goal is to bottle everything separately, independent of the quality, even if a vineyard only produces a single barrel, in order to showcase the unique terroir expressed not only through Albillo Real, but also through other native grapes such as ancient clones of Malvasia and Verdeja, as well as Tinto de Toro. His passion for letting each wine speak for itself with minimal intervention is evident in his annual production of 8-10 different wines, amounting to only about 15,000 bottles.
esteban celemin 'canicas'
100% tempranillo The Canicas Tempranillo comes from a small .45-hectare plot of Tempranillo vines, as well as from a barrel or two of Tinta de Toro (ancient Tempranillo) that had very soft tannins and more fruit, which fit the concept of this wine. With strict organic dry farming since 2008, the grapes were hand-harvested and came to the cellar to be foot trodden and then began natural fermentation in small tanks. After a gentle pressing, the wine was moved to 225L used French oak barrels for one year of aging. A very light filtration before bottling, and the finished wine is a delightfully easy-drinking and expressive side to Tempranillo. A very complex nose of blackberries, black cherries, tobacco, cocoa beans, and sandalwood, lead to a scrumptious and velvety mouthfeel that is loaded with fruit and easy tannins. The lovely texture is packed with blueberry compote, earthy mushroom, and soft and tasty oak markers that coat the palate yet unaggressively, for a very enjoyable and easy drinking bold red. |
esteban celemin 'melquiades'
100% tinta de toro Details coming soon |