While not an official DO, the Sierra de Gredos is home to a group of young, passionate and innovative winemakers who are pushing the boundaries of viniculture in a region that has long been seen as a place for bulk wine to slack the thirst of nearby Madrid. Even in a country of mountains and high plateaux, and despite its proximity to the sun-baked capital, the Sier- ra de Gredos seems more alpine, more remote and more rugged than one would imagine this far south. It is the unique combination of high altitudes and low latitudes that defines the potential of Gredos and when you throw in weathered slate, granite and schist soils and add some varieties that are pushed to their limits in such an extreme environment, is it any surprise that the wines made here are so captivating, pure and expressive?
Bodega Marañones is located in the DO of Viños de Madrid in the subzone of San Martín de Valdeiglesias where the Sierra de Gredos meets the Sierra de Guadarrama. Their vineyards stretch from the steep hillsides at the base of the mountains down to gentler slopes near the valley floor – providing them with a variety of terroirs that capture a more Mediterranean expression of the Gredos. Helmed by Fernando Garcia, who together with Dani Landi, are the creative minds behind Comando G, Bodega Marañones is farmed organically and manually with the assistance of mules due to the steep slopes of their vineyards. The work in the vineyards is focused on prolonging the vegetative cycle so they are able to balance ripeness with acidity and tannin. The yields are low from 20-30 hl/ha for the Garnacha and 10-20 hl/ha for the Albillo.
Maravedíes are an ancient form of currency once used in Castilla and 30,000 Maravedíes was the amount that Don Alvaro de Luna paid a local monastery, centuries ago, for the land where Bodega Marañones is now located. It is a fitting name for this “village” wine made from three terroirs that Fernando farms: Marañones Andrinoso and Dehesa. 30,000 Maravedíes is made primarily from Garnacha with about 10% Morate in the final blend.