Martin Berdugo Joven
A full and complex unoaked wine with plenty of striking red fruit character.
Grapes are sourced from the sandy, silt and clay parts of the vineyards which confer more primary fruit profiles (those on the gravel and pebble soils are destined for oak ageing).
Harvested at night to preserve all the aromatic character, within minutes 25% of the harvest goes into stainless steel tanks for whole bunch fermentation. The rest is destalked before undergoing a cold maceration at 10C for several days.
There follows fermentation of 6-8 days at below 20C, plus another maceration of 10-12 days, finally bled off with fines lees allowing a natural malolactic fermentation to achieve greater complexity.
Martin Berdugo are a modern, progressive, family company; easily witnessed by the contemporary architecture of the winery and the labels. Less obvious though is their constant evolving and experimentation with the wine making.
Martin Berdugo looks for improvement at every harvest and have a passion to bring what they call an “element of difference” to those who share their taste and wine philosophy: one of style, flair, communication, discovery and “the creation of unforgettable moments”.
Aromas of strawberry and blackberry with notable floral hints. A balanced palate of strawberry and cherry fruit backed by soft tannins all follow through to a sturdy aftertaste.
Drink 2-4 years after harvest.
Match with rice and pasta dishes, barbecued and grilled meats; plus hard cheeses.
About the Producer
Bodegas Martin Berdugo
Matrin Berdugo was founted in 2000 and their estate consists of a single 87ha vineyard of Tinta Fina (Tinto del Pais or Tempranillo) grapes located and surrounded by the Duero River; a major part of the vineyard is on alluvial beds covered with large stones.
The altitude at 800m is significantly higher than vineyards in Rioja, where the highest is at 700m. Cooler climate and more sun result in thicker skins, hence the difference in style from the same gape varietal.
The quality of the wines is influenced by a number of natural factors and, importantly, an attitude that “everything counts”
- meticulous spring and summer pruning: vines planted on a north-south axis have the leaves on the east facing side take off to maximise the morning sun, whereas those on the west are left to provide some shelter from the strong afternoon rays.
- the use of leading edge technology: weather predictions and micro climate observations come from ‘weather stations’ and sensors situated throughout the vineyards.
- terroir profiling and help in grape selection for the harvest uses aerial mapping and satellite photography.
A devastating fire in 2013, where they lost most of their stock as well as the winery gave an opportunity to remodel the buildings, so now all wine-making is gravity fed with no pumping.
The whole estate has been converted to organic production – the first 11ha were certified in 2020, the rest is expected to be in 2025.
The location of the cellar – surrounded by the vineyard – guarantees the reception of the manually harvested grapes in optimal conditions, where after the wine is vinified in sixteen 25,000 litre stainless steel vats and aged in 360, mainly American, oak barrels.
