Sabinas Centenarias 2021
Estate wine, a distinction awarded to uniqueness
Vino de Pago (single-estate or vineyard wine – i.e. a wine with its own special designation) is at the top of the Spanish wine quality pyramid. Sabinas Centenarias 2021 boasts this privilege and bears the label of the D.O. Pago Finca Élez. Made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, it’s been aged in concrete and oak barrels. This superb red is a reflection of the unique terroir of the Élez estate located in El Bonillo (Albacete) at an altitude of 1,000 metres above sea level. And you’ll only find it at Vinoselección, because it’s exclusive. A real luxury.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
Type of barrel
500-litre French oak barrels
Type of bottle
Burgundy
Barrel aging time
9 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Alcohol content (% vol.)
14.5
General Information
Sabinas Centenarias 2021 is a single-vineyard wine made from grapes from the La Nueva, La Vieja and El Palomar plots located in Finca Élez, in the municipality of El Bonillo (Albacete), at an altitude of 1,000 metres above sea level. They have sandy clay loam soil on a limestone base, and a continental climate with very cold winters and hot summers and major temperature differences between day and night, causing the grapes to take longer to ripen. This wine is a blend of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties.
The grapes underwent pre-fermentative maceration for 4 days at 14ºC, followed by fermentation and maceration for 21 days at no more than 25º C, separated into different tanks by plot and variety. Post-fermentation maceration was carried out to fix the colour and aromas. Malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, before rounding off the wine in French oak barrels. Ageing was done separately by grape varieties: the Cabernet Sauvignon was aged in concrete for 11 months, while a third of the Merlot was aged in 500-litre French oak barrels for 9 months.
Pago Finca Élez is a winery founded in 1992 by the actor, director and theatre impresario Manuel Manzaneque, who decided to turn his love of wine into a professional career. He acquired and remodelled Finca Élez, which today houses château-style facilities and vineyards. In 2020 Pago Finca Élez changed hands when it was acquired by the Villoldo Ruiz family. The estate is located in El Bonillo (Albacete), in the southern part of an incredible juniper forest that’s home to thousands of hundred-year-old vines, hence the name of this wine.
The firm’s wines are made solely from grapes grown in Finca Élez’s own vineyards, where the behaviour of the vines at a high altitude – 1000 m – imbues them with unique characteristics. Tempranillo is cultivated alongside other varieties of French origin directly brought from the neighbouring country, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah and Merlot.
The winery is committed to limiting yields in order to ensure the high quality of the grapes. In addition, its work has been carried out under organic wine guidelines since 2011. The climate of the area is well-suited to organic cultivation: a very dry environment and cool air help keep the vineyard healthy.
The Vino de Pago (single-estate/vineyard wine) designation is the highest category under Spanish law. Finca Élez was the first winery in Spain to be granted its own Denominación de Origen in 2002, and became the first single-estate wine in the country. There are currently 24 wineries in Spain with their own D.O.
The red wine Sabinas Centenarias 2021 (D.O. Pago Finca Élez) is ideal with soupy dishes containing meat.
Tasting notes
Sabinas Centenarias 2021 is made from the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties, which were vinified separately to extract the best properties from each. It has an intense, concentrated nose of redcurrants, blackberries and hints of cedar. With its firm tannins and a savoury finish, this is a linear and fresh wine.
Creators' opinion
El año 2021 tuvo una primavera normal: ni demasiado seca ni tampoco demasiado lluviosa. Las temperaturas fueron suaves lo que permitió un desarrollo equilibrado de la planta. Aunque las temperaturas en el resto de España fueron muy altas debido a la altitud, en la zona de Finca Élez no subieron tanto. En el mes de septiembre bajaron las temperaturas y fue suave permitiendo una maduración larga y suave y fijando bien los taninos.