I was extremely fortunate to meet winemaker Alberto Orte while enjoying a holiday near Jerez during September. I had been enjoying a bottle of his Vara Y Pulgar one evening and posted an image and details of the wine on social media, a conversation followed and we arranged a visit the following week.
I was familiar with the wines and the unique range of Sherry he produces, and was well versed in his dedication to resurrecting old clones and experimental planting in the best terroirs throughout Spain particularly in Jerez.
The following Monday my drive took me through the heart of some famed vineyards and passed a very familiar Bodegas or two. I arrived at the winery, nestled amongst Viña San Cristóbal and Viña Jose, halfway between Añina and Balbaína, two of the top pagos (sites) in the region.
I was warmly welcomed by Alberto, and following a brief chat and introduction we walked down the drive as he pointed out and explained the stunning vista in front of us, where his vineyards were in relation to the small valley and how the unique microclimates created by the poniente and levante winds make the Anina Pago so unique.
Alberto, a historian as well as a producer, has a passion for old vines, he approaches his vineyard sites with the past in mind but aims to apply a modern day approach. Parts of the 2.7ha Viña San Cristóbal vineyard are currently a nursery plot planted with rediscovered local varieties of vines.
The project he is taking forward is to revive the declining biodiversity of past times by researching historical publications detailing the various varieties of grapes that were grown extensively throughout the Sherry region. Many had been lost until recent times with extremely varied reasons but now with a renewed interest, awareness and sensitivity, along with a receptive market place makes this forward thinking winemakers project, one of the most exciting prospects in Spain. In Jerez alone, Alberto has identified 200+ old clones and 22 forgotten varieties.
As an introduction to Alberto's wines I have a white and a red to talk about (and sell)
In the first instance the delicious white blend I enjoyed on the terrace in September when the sun went down, Vara Y Pulgar Blanco 2023.
Palomino, Malvasía, Vigiriega Blanca and an additional blend of Cañonazo, Perruno and Albillo.
Lemon in color, with a bright, fresh floral nose with some bruised apple and ripe pear, tropical fruit and citrus blossom. In the mouth delicious orchard fruit, some wet stone and a persistent streak of acidity with subtle saline notes that finish things up nicely.
It offers remarkable uniqueness thanks to the albariza soils, fermented in butts and matured for over 12 months in oak barrels and foudres. Vara y Pulgar Blanco is part of the new wave of non-fortified whites in Jerez and this blend serves to amplify the Palomino grape's inherent character, resulting in a wine with vibrant fruit flavors, ripe freshness, and a pronounced saline minerality.
Moving on to our first red wine , the Atlántida Tintilla 2019
On the nose, dusty albariza chalk supports aromas of dried black cherry, and herbs such as rosemary and sage, there are touches of a sea breeze and some minerality, as the wine opens, hedgerow fruits.
The palate is light, lifted, and elegant. Mouthwatering acidity, persistent flavor, and integrated tannins with restrained red and black fruits, candied violet with subtle notes of herbs and black tea on the finish.
Atlántida is a rare dry red wine crafted from the nearly extinct Tintilla grape variety in the Sherry region. The wine benefits from the albariza soil, a pure white chalk unique to the region. Starting with the 2022 vintage, Alberto Orte found that Tintilla grapes from his El Aljibe estate surpassed those from the Pago de Balbaína vineyard. To achieve the best expression of Tintilla, Alberto now sources grapes from his estate, which includes three vineyards: San Cristóbal, San José, and El Aljibe.
Alberto’s dedication to the preservation of special vineyards and varietals forms the backbone of his efforts around sustainability in viticulture and winemaking.
Alberto is fervently passionate about organic farming, choosing to add beneficial cover crops like clover in the vineyards, which he surrounds with naturally pest-repellant hedges of rosemary.
He experiments with biodynamic principles in some of his vineyards, which (in stark contrast to neighboring sites) flourish with worms, pollinators, and other forms of life.
By protecting the soils, he ensures that his work can continue for generations to come.
Instead of extracting resources, he conserves them, utilizing dry farming techniques instead of irrigation, which is essential in drought-prone areas across Spain.
His new winery at El Aljibe is powered by geothermal energy and inside the winery itself, he uses an organic approach, allowing his impeccable fruit and terroir to shine through in the final product, unmarked by adjustments and chemicals.