Sole Distributor in Hong Kong & Macau
A Family Exploration in Yecla
Since 1950
Castaño & Co. is a brand under Bodegas Castaño by Castaño family which was set up in 1950 to step into winemaking. As the company's motto "The Art of Monastrell suggested, it originally focused on the winemaking of Monastrell. As the company expanded, sub wineries were set up to explore other varieties and possibilities. As a result, sub-brands/series were set up. They all continue the family's ambition to explore the D.O. Yecla. Right now there are 3 series from this winery, Altos de la Gateras, Vina al Lado de la Casa, and Bodegas y Binedos del Mediterraneo (BVM).
THE PROJECT
The project was launched in 1999 after Quim Vila and Siscu Martí visited the Castaño winery and tasted three outstanding wines from the 1998 vintage made with the Monastrell variety. Impressed and excited by the unique character of these wines, they asked Castaño to make an exclusive bottling for Uvas Felices. In 2004, Castaño and Uvas Felices acquired a 14-hectare plot in the Las Gateras area. Today this surface area has grown to 49 hectares and is mostly planted with the Monastrell, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet varieties.
THE SOIL & GRAPES
The vineyard’s poor limestone soils are ideal for dry-farmed Monastrell and Alicante Bouschet. However, international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot have also been planted and have become perfectly adapted to the local growing conditions. Monastrell is the mainred varietyin the Yecla Designationof Origin, a terroir to whichit is ideally suited, andwhere it produces winesof intense aromatics, deepcolour, body, structure anda silky texture.This grape variety displaysgreat individual characterand a distinct mineral andMediterranean profile.
CLIMATE
Mainly continental with long, cold winters and equally long hot summers. Diurnal temperature variation as wide as 25°C ensures excellent ripening of the grapes. Rainfall is quite low, while average sunshine hours are the highest in Spain.
Vina al lado de la Casa
The Viña al lado de la Casa is signature series of the winery. Viña al Lado de la Casa and Detrás de la Casa undergo a gentle destemming. Regular pigeages are carried out by hand on small, open20 to 30-hectolitre temperature controlled vats at 26 to 28°C. Total maceration time amounts to 10 to 14 days, before the wine is run off and the skins gently pressed in a pneumatic press. The malo-lactic fermentation is done in stainless steel vats. Our wines are aged in a temperature and humiditycontrolled underground barrel cellar. Viña al Lado de la Casa and Detrás de la Casa are both aged for 18 months in new 225-litre and 500-litre French oak barrels. Altos de las Gateras is aged for 21 to 25 months in 500-litre French oak casks. Before bottling, each lot of wine is carefully tasted by Quim Vila and Siscu Martí, together with experienced winemaker Mariano López.
Altos de la Gateras
In 2018, a premium range of Viña al Lado de la Casa was released under the Altos de las Gateras label. Two monovarietal wines, Syrah and Monastrell, are now made each vintage from a single vineyard called Altos de las Gateras. Production is tiny with only 420 bottles of Altos de las Gateras Syrah and 612 bottles of Altos de las Gateras Monastrell.
Bodegas y Binedos del Mediterraneo
Established to develop a different perspective of the existing winemaking tradition in southeastern Spain. Leading the Industry with avant-garde technologies and processes in both vineyard and winery to produce high quality wines with native varieties, focusing specially on Monastrell. Our continuous research has led us to experiment with other varieties as Macabeo for our white wines, and study their potential in both our soil tipicity and weather conditions. The result is the creation of very elegant, easy-drinking wines full of vibrant notes.
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