Jose Antonio García and his wife Julia Peña García (JAG) are at the forefront of the next generation of vignerons in Bierzo, leading the charge towards wines of place and definition. Their familial roots in Bierzo are fundamental to them, as they do all of the work in the vineyards themselves, which is signified by the term viticultor on their bottles. Jose’s mother is a native of Valtuille de Abajo, and his father is a native of Corullón. Together, Jose and Julia’s families have owned vineyards in Bierzo for generations. All of their wines are hand-harvested, foot-crushed, and vinified very carefully with native fermentation and without manipulation.

JAG’s Doña Blanca is a white wine from the village of Valtuille de Abajo in Bierzo which utilizes skin-contact in the maceration. The color of the wine is more Fujifilm burnished copper than orange, which is due to the delicate natural color of the doña blanca grape and lack of oxidation in the wine. JAG’s exotically-textured Bierzo blanco from the native doña blanca grape utilizes the tradition of skin-contact in the Bierzo region, where the skins are used to gain structure, as the grape is typically thin-skinned and produces light wines.

Doña blanca grapes come from organically-farmed parcels, located in the heart of the village of Valtuille de Abajo, where the upper slope is made up of sandy soil, the middle is slate, and the lower part is clay with decomposed organic matter. The vineyard was co-planted in 1920 with traditional bush vines, which included doña blanca in the blend. 

Jose and Julia’s organically-grown, family-owned vineyards in the village of Valtuille de Abajo are planted from 500m to 650m elevation, with 60 to 100-year-old traditional bush vines from ancient genetic ancestry. Some of these vines are more than 200 years old. The viticulture is strictly organic, and the only compost used is local, organic chestnuts, which grow in the vineyards.

Doña Blanca Vinificación Singular is filled with savory herbs and stone fruits, and this charming wine seems to radiate energy from its very core. The palate is substantial, while maintaining freshness and elegance, with fine tannins and supple flavors. The mile-long finish cries out for a food pairing. It is an incredible innovation for white grapes in Bierzo. A limited cuvée produced in very small quantities.

Vinification – Grapes are hand-picked and partially destemmed and crushed. Alcoholic fermentation occurs with indigenous yeast. The must is macerated with the skins and 20% of the stems with whole clusters for 90 days. Followed by very slow pressing and then transferred to used 500L French barrels for one year of aging on the fine lees without bâtonnage. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation.

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