Viña Elena, Familia Pacheco Organic, DO Jumilla, Spain, 2019

Producer Profile

Widely considered to be one of the best wineries in Jumilla, Viña Elena is very much a family affair with Elena Pacheco at the helm supported ably by her mother, sisters and children.

Viña Elena sits directly inland from the Costa Blanca and that venerable holiday destination, Benidorm. Safe to say, it is hot in this south east corner of Spain and Elena is fascinated by Monastrell and how she can create ever more elegant and delicate incarnations of it, despite the intensity of the sun.

Viticulture

Non-irrigated, bush vines, hand harvested, limestone soils, the age of the vines vary from 15 to 40 years old. This wine is made from picking over a combination of different plots located in different sub-zones. Altitude range is between 380 and 760 metres above sea level. All vines are certified organic. All the plots were planted in low density (around 1,400 to 1,600 vines per hectare).

Winemaking

Fermented in stainless steel tank, maceration of 7/8 days with a temperature controlled to 22ºC.

Oak Treatment

No oak treatment

Tasting Note

This wine, 100% Monastrell, dark red-maroon in colour. Red berry aromas on the nose, with a light touch of balsamic. Familia Pacheco Organic is a balanced, full-bodied, fresh wine enhanced by seasoned tannins and the reoccuring traces of ripe fruit.

Food Matching

Delicious with tapas, paella and grilled turbot.

Awards

The Drinks Business Autumn Masters Gold and Top 3/300 Wines
With a number of Gold medals awarded to red wines under £10 from Jumilla, if you are looking for a powerfully-flavoured, balanced and brilliant value red, then head to this part of Spain. Among those bargains was this particularly attractive fruity sample from Bodegas Viña Elena, using old bush vine Monastrell from non-irrigated organic vineyards in the far south of the region. Expect lots of bright, youthful fruits, from blackcurrant to red cherries and fresh plums, even a touch of pepper and voilets too, and some fine, mouth-coating tannins to dry the palate after all the ripe fruit. Patrick Schmitt, October 2020.