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Yesterday, Bodegas Emilio Moro presented the first wines resulting from its innovation project at El Bierzo. These are two single-varietal wines from Godello with which the renowned firm has sought, on the one hand, to add a quality white wine to its already known range of Emilio Moro and Cepa 21 reds and, on the other hand, to transfer the quality and uniqueness of its wines from Ribera del Duero to a denomination of origin hitherto better known for its Mencía reds but with a lot of potential to give birth to great whites.
Located in the northwest of the province of León, in the so-called Valle del Silencio, El Bierzo has a special microclimate for a very special viticulture. The natural barrier of the Sierra de los Ancares calms the impetus of the Atlantic storms and generates a continental climate, influenced by the ocean, which is ideal for growing vines and its low altitude prevents late frosts, positively influencing the grape when the harvest is brought forward. These qualities and the singular beauty of its landscapes fell in love with the Moro family and encouraged them to make the first white wines of Emilio Moro in this area. Wines with which the iconic winery, based on the values of tradition, innovation and social responsibility, leaves Ribera del Duero for the first time, where the family also runs Bodegas Cepa 21 under an absolute modern prism.
With La Revelía and El Zarzal, both from the 2016 vintage and from different soils, the bodega has sought to work on the aromatic profile of the Godello grape, a white variety adapted to the terrain and slopes of El Bierzo, which represents 5.62% of the grapes grown in the area. The climate of the Bierzo, with a marked continental climate and some Atlantic influence, its loamy clay-sandy soils and its geomorphology guaranteed the suitability of the area for the cultivation of Godello. A grape with which wines full of freshness and aromatic depth are obtained, endowed with complexity and ageing capacity comparable to the red wines.
LA REVELÍA 2016
For Bodegas Emilio Moro, La Revelía represents maximum expression of the varietal character Godello. It comes from steep slopes – more than 600 m above sea level – where maturity is delayed, and different orientations converge, providing richness and personality. Raised in 500 litres of French oak barrels with subsequent resting on lees for 8 months, La Revelía 2016 has a pale-yellow colour and an intense aroma full of nuances where the most typical varietals of the Godello stand out at first: fresh stone fruits, subtle herbaceous and citrus fruits. With the passing of time it shows that its great aromatic potential continues to develop in the glass gaining complexity the fruit set with flavours of dry flowers and very light roasted flowers that are intermingled in the set. In the mouth it is voluminous and ample, with a great range and balanced acidity.
EL ZARZAL 2016
For the elaboration of El Zarzal, the sandy loam soils at the beginning of the slopes have been selected, with more shady expositions in which the fruit remains fresh and intact. The Zarzal 2016, fermented in wood subsequent maturation on lees in French oak barrels of 2,500 litres for 8 months, offers a pale-yellow colour, clean and bright. In nose it is also clean and frank, with a base of stone fruits, subtle citrus and white-flowered notes and lightly toasted, almost imperceptible, which mature and add complexity to the aromatic combination.
A PROJECT WITH AN INTERNATIONAL VOCATION
Emilio Moro’s project in El Bierzo is an ambitious project that aims to put on the international map a wine region in full expansion. For this reason, the official presentation of the wines has taken place, in an unprecedented mass event, in the historic Castle of Ponferrada, the second most visited monument in Castile and Leon with 184,317 registered visits. “With this project, ” explained José Moro during his speech, “we also want to contribute to boost agriculture, the agri-food sector, land and tourism in Ponferrada and El Bierzo”. He added: “We are going to bet strongly on this land and in the coming years our intention is to invest around 10 million euros in the creation of a winery and new jobs”.
