Pepe Mendoza sought the secret of perfect wines in foreign lands, but the old, gnarled vines of his native Alicante whispered the answer to him. The oenologist comes from a winemaking family that runs one of the largest and most successful wineries in the region. Driven by a thirst for knowledge, he travelled to Chile, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina at a young age. He wanted to learn about the latest techniques to make even better wines: "It was only years later that I realised that the solutions I was looking for could have been found right under my nose," he sums up today. He found that kind of progress in the old vineyards, traditional techniques as well as in the indigenous varieties: "Our indigenous varieties have a special secret that is rooted in their DNA: the adaptation to their place of origin that has developed over hundreds of years. This makes them more resistant to drought, less susceptible to disease - but more than anything, there's a certain landscape that comes across through the wine. Only old, local varieties take us to indigenous, aromatic plants such as orange, lemon, fennel or Mediterranean herbs." Pepe therefore likes to compare this unmistakable manifestation of origin with linguistic dialects.
Eight years ago, Pepe fulfilled a lifelong dream with his small domain, which has vineyards dating back to 1921 and 1970. He has carefully renovated the old building, which goes back to the era of Arab colonisation, and restored the old vineyards. He works with great respect for nature, with minimal intervention and low yields. It's a bit like the old days, but with modern quality standards. "In today's world, everyone wants to be an inventor... Nobody likes to see themselves as the mere recipient of an inheritance," says Pepe. Isn't it encouraging that farming methods that strive for the greatest possible harmony with the environment lead to the best flavour experiences? It feels like a declaration of love to nature, which is fully reciprocated. It's a real matter of the heart.
Awards
Robert Parker: 92/100, Guía Peñin: 92/100