Jose Antonio Garcia

Jose Antonio Garcia and his wife Julia are undeniably part of the new generation of winemakers in Bierzo. Their passion and pursuit of authenticity and sustainability result in refined wines with a gastronomic impact. During our visit to their domain, we were impressed by their meticulous approach and careful handling in both the vineyards and the wine cellars.

Jose and Julia own approximately 17 hectares of vineyards, mainly in the municipality of Valtuille de Abajo and a smaller part in Corúllon. Both municipalities have been connected to Bierzo for generations; even Jose's parents owned vineyards. They work hard in the vineyards and the winery themselves, which explains the name 'VITICULTOR' on their label. At the start of their domain, they purchased several old vineyards, ranging from 80 to 120 years old, and restored their biodiversity. These vines date from the era without the various clones created to achieve higher yields. The strength and results of this reconstruction and age are clearly visible when you walk through their vineyards and compare them with those of their neighbors. Their approach is particularly strict and shows self-imposed discipline and perseverance, only local compost is used and only organic growing methods are applied.

Many of their vineyards are old field blends, which requires an in-depth knowledge of each plant to identify the different grape varieties. The majority of their vineyards are planted with mencia, supplemented with garnacha tintorera, godello and doña blanca. The wines are made in large foeders with minimal intervention and very limited use of sulphites, which requires a particular discipline in cleanliness in the cellars and results in wines of exceptional finesse.

The Bierzo wine region is unique, located just outside Galicia and on the outskirts of Léon. The area has a unique transitional climate due to the isolation of several hills and mountains, which ensures relatively long winters and short, intense summers. The large temperature differences between day and night in summer contribute to the finesse and elegance of the wines due to the delayed ripening process of the grapes.

The vineyards in Valtuille are rooted in a mix of granite, clay and sand with medium-sized boulders on the surface, located on gentler slopes and hills. The vineyards in Corúllon, on the other hand, are more deeply rooted in poorer soils of granite and slate, on much steeper slopes.

Enjoy these unique wines, perhaps a bit under the radar today... but without a doubt one of the big names of tomorrow. Santé!