This 22 hectare parcel of land set in the Contraviesa, the mountain range between Sierra Nevada and the Mediterranean, has been in the García family for generations, and for them the tradition of wine making runs deep. Half of the land is planted with organic figs and almonds, the other half with vines, some of which are up to 110 years old.
At between 1150 and 1400 metres above sea level this may well be Europe’s highest vineyard and its proximity to the Mediterranean makes the climate especially unique. The sun here is strong, though proximity to the sea means that it doesn’t bake in summer like many other parts of the south and the altitude helps the grapes retain a freshness and acidity. Rainfall is very low though it tends to snow in winter and the thaw off is then thirstily sucked up by the vines, whose roots run exceptionally deep in order to reach water. The soil here is slate and rock, nutrient poor but mineral rich, and we think it’s due to this that the quality that shines through in all of Verdevique’s wines is a rustic minerality, the likes of which we’ve not yet found in any other vineyard.
Verdevique champion indigenous grapes from the Alpujarras, in particular the white variety Vigiriego. While other vineyards in Spain have torn up their old indigenous vines in favour of more mainstream popular varieties, these guys have nurtured theirs and explored how they can shine through both in blends and as single varieties.
