Marqués de Griñón Caliza Selección Especial 2020
An atypical blend exclusive to Vinoselección
Marqués de Griñón Caliza Selección Especial 2020 reflects the personality of the Dominio de Valdepusa estate, the first Spanish wine-producing area to be granted its own D.O. On this estate, located in the Montes de Toledo, Carlos Falcó was a forerunner of cutting-edge grape growing, as well as a pioneer in cultivating international varieties such as Syrah and Petit Verdot, and in working with Graciano grapes outside Rioja. These three varieties are combined in Marqués de Griñón Caliza 2020. This unique blend, created exclusively for Vinoselección, is a faithful reflection of the mineral character provided by Dominio de Valdepusa's limestone soil. It’s been aged for 10 months in French oak.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
17% Graciano, 23% Petit Verdot, 60% Syrah
Type of barrel
Semi-new French oak barrels
Type of bottle
Bordeaux
Barrel aging time
12 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Alcohol content (% vol.)
13.5
General Information
Marqués de Griñón Caliza Selección Especial 2020 is 60% Syrah, 23% Petit Verdot and 17% Graciano. It was grown on the 50-hectare Dominio de Valdepusa D.O. estate. The name 'Caliza' on the label pays tribute to the predominant bedrock on the estate, where a clay surface layer of between 20 and 50 centimetres gives way to limestone soil with certain similarities to some of the great estates in Burgundy. These soils, together with the area's continental climate with marked temperature differences between winter and summer and low rainfall levels, provide ideal conditions for growing grapes of the highest quality.
To obtain this red wine, the grapes were harvested by hand, followed by destemming and gravity unloading into the fermentation tanks. They were macerated for a long period of up to 4 weeks and aged in semi-new French Allier oak barrels for 12 months in an air-conditioned cellar. The wine was bottled without being fined or filtered.
The history of Pagos de Familia Marqués de Griñón began in 1974 in Malpica del Tajo, specifically on the Dominio de Valdepusa estate owned by the family of Carlos Falcó, Marquis of Griñón, since 1292. With this firm, Carlos Falcó was a pioneer in producing high-quality grapes and wines in the Montes de Toledo. He was also a forerunner in planting foreign varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon in Castilla-La Mancha; and later, in 1991, he was responsible for introducing the first Syrah and Petit Verdot vines to Spain, and for experimenting with cultivating Graciano outside Rioja.
Carlos Falcó is also hailed as a pioneer of cutting-edge viticulture in Spain, as he introduced agricultural models of mixed vine planting (canopy management, drip irrigation and Smart-Dyson training systems), and blazed the trail for developing wines that could compete on the international market. He was assisted in the design of the vineyard by Australian guru Richard Smart.
Smart is not the only international expert who has collaborated with or continues to work at Pagos de Familia Marqués de Griñón. Further examples are winemakers Émile Peynaud and Michel Rolland. Carlos Falcó sadly passed away in 2020, but his legacy is still very much alive in this family winery.
The winery is privileged to have a Denominación de Origen of its own: D.O. Dominio de Valdepusa. The property spans 49 hectares of vineyards where the Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Graciano varieties are grown.
The red Marqués de Griñón Caliza Selección Especial 2020 (D.O. Dominio de Valdepusa) is ideal with fish such as tuna, or potato and chorizo hotpot.
Creators' opinion
Deep violet colour with cherry glints. Complex and intense fruity aromas in the nose with hints of blackberries and lush ripe cherries that are delicately balanced by subtle mineral notes and hints of mint. This is a full-bodied wine on the palate, with an intense personality, silky-smooth but with great structure, notable for its long, balanced finish.
The winery
The Marqués de Griñón and Castelmoncayo, Carlos Falcó, was one of the key figures in the modernization of Spanish winemaking in recent decades. He introduced cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, chardonnay, and petit verdot varieties to Spain; was the first to implement mixed vine planting models (Canopy management, or foliage management), drip irrigation, and Smart-Dyson trellises; and paved the way for the development of competitive wines in the international market.
Located in Malpica de Tajo, Toledo, Pagos de Familia Marqués de Griñón is a family winery with a strong historical tradition and long-term future prospects. Since 1292, the estate has been in the hands of the Falcó family, a lineage that has passed down values of sustainability and respect for the environment, culture, and tradition from generation to generation. Pagos de Familia Marqués de Griñón was a pioneering firm in applying cutting-edge viticulture in our country, producing wines with foreign varieties in the Montes de Toledo and always striving for excellence from the vineyard to the glass.