On the Road with the Grape Guy

Grandes Pagos – the main tasting (Spain)

03 Jan 2019

Details: Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(October 2018) ... Truly a very eye-opening experience based on the group Grandes Pagos d’Espana – which was established in the year 2000 by five estate wineries whose sole purpose was to deepen and promote the concept of Grinon 2011 single estate wines within Spain, because that is what a “Pagos” is, a single estate – their goal is to express origin and typicity based on soil and climate, or as is more commonly known as “Terroir”.

In 2004 they established their name of Grandes Pagos d’Espana with 12 estates under their umbrella; today they number 29 wineries – with a rotating number of wineries. If quality standards drop for two years in a row a member can be removed, while others are continuously submitting wines with an effort to get in.

Not all these wines fall into Spain’s legal DOC or IGP domination standards, it’s the expression of the terroir they are looking for, not the legal definition of sanctioned wines. Currently these wineries represent 30 varieties (20 red / 19 white) and 4.5 million bottles, 18 viticultural zones, 1881 hectares, many are just small properties – maybe you’ve heard of some of them. Let’s take a look at some of the eye-popping wines from the major first tasting day of this visit which happened at Lavinis wine store and bar – 14 wines were tasted and these were my selections with links to some of the best: