Malleolus de Sanchomartín is defined by Bodegas Emilio Moro as one of their “most sublime” tempranillo wines. It was named in honor of the Pago de Sanchomartín, a stony and limestone hawthorn located in Pesquera de Duero (Valladolid) that was planted in 1944. It was later grafted in 1964, with spikes from the clone of the oldest vineyards of the owner family. .
It is a vineyard with deep-rooted vines exposed to good light in a well-aerated area, which mitigates high temperatures. They assure that it is “a wine with great varietal vocation, but with the personality of the limestone soils.” It is also noted that “praised by national and international critics in successive vintages, this excellent wine is a true enjoyment for the most demanding palates due to its expressiveness and combination of nuances.” And it is added that it stands out for being “a powerful, elegant and persistent wine.” The 2019 vintage of this red is especially fine and elegant.
The 2019 vegetative cycle was preceded by the rains of April. Despite this, from mid-spring to late summer, the year was characterized by little rain and temperatures above what was expected. The start of the harvest began after a few days of rain, which helped balance the composition of the grapes and resulted in a year of extraordinary quality and optimal health. The 2019 was considered an extraordinary vintage by the Regulatory Council of the DO Ribera del Duero. The alcoholic fermentation and maceration of this riverside wine were carried out in small stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 28 days. Its malolactic fermentation was also carried out in stainless steel tanks and, partially, in French oak barrels. The aging took place in new French oak barrels. Around 3,000 liters were produced.
Malleolus de Sanchomartín 2019 has a high layer and the color of cherry cherries. It shows notes reminiscent of oak aging (vanilla and cedar on a smoky background). It is a wine with a good balance between fruit (red and black) and tertiary notes (ageing). It exhibits a silky tactile sensation, a lactic bed, minerality, licorice and spices, with a somewhat liquory tip. It also stands out for its good acidity, reflecting its origin at about 900 meters above sea level. From the winery it is stated that "the very long and silky finish of Malleolus de Sanchomartin combines perfectly with red meats, roasts and game meat."
The winery's technical director, Álvaro Maestro, likes to accompany this wine with grilled octopus with revolconas potatoes and ajilimójili from the Emilio Moro winery restaurant. Héctor Medina, marketing director and member of the fourth generation of the owner family, prefers to combine it with a matured beef chop (as long as it does not exceed 60 days of curing). On the other hand, the general director of Emilio Moro, Patricia Sánchez Moro, leans towards pairing with a good 100% Iberian acorn-fed ham DOP Los Pedroches, or with some Castilian lamb chops with vine shoots with her salad. They recommend serving it between 14 and 16 °C, and keeping the bottles of Malleolus de Sanchomartin in a horizontal position, so that the wine and the cork are in permanent contact, and always keeping them at a constant temperature and avoiding exposure to direct light. .
Malleolus de Sanchomartín is part of a family of three wines that in their latest vintage have released a new image. Their labels pay tribute to their origins, and recover the point right in the center of the 'o' in the name of these wines made with the Tinto Fino variety (Tempranillo) from old hawthorn grapes. To maintain balance and adapt to change, the borders of each medallion accompany the capsules with the color of each Malleolus. From the winery they affirm that "our Malleolus have been, are and will be a symbol of elegance, delicacy and distinction." Javier Moro, president of the winery and third generation of the family that owns it, explained that “we want to return to our origins and make history based on our family.” He adds that “we want to give a nod to my father and my grandparents, rethinking where we come from,” and not lose sight of the fact that “we are an eminently family winery.”
For this outstanding wine project, tradition is an irreplaceable value and, as a tribute to its beginnings, this new image includes the signature of Emilio Moro, as the first labels included it in its day. Likewise, its characteristic medallions are maintained, recovering in a certain way the initial position. Furthermore, each of the Malleolus comes from a different type of soil, which gives them very different characteristics and peculiarities, a detail that also appears highlighted on this new label. The president of the company, Javier Moro, is proud because for the winery “it is a reason for satisfaction that our brand evolves while remaining firm in the search for excellence, knowing how to adapt to the trends set by our consumers, and with the launch of these vintages and the change of image, we believe we have achieved it.”
The history of Emilio Moro wineries goes back three generations: the grandfather of the third generation, Emilio Moro, was born in 1891, and his son Emilio Moro in 1932, both in a wine-growing environment surrounded by vineyards. They grew up treading grapes in their hometown of Pesquera de Duero. Emilio Moro, grandfather of the current owners, taught his son the love of wine, and this, in turn, passed it on to his children. Currently, it is the third and fourth generation of the family that takes charge of a winery that has about 375 hectares of its own vineyards. The range of wines includes Finca Resalso, which receives its name from the vineyard that was planted when Emilio Moro, father of the third generation, was born.
The round 2022 vintage of this wine shows an exultant youth with a medium layer, and with notes of red flower and stick candy with strawberry bubblegum. The winery's range continues with Emilio Moro, the winery's flagship; Emilio Moro Vendimia Selecciónda, a Tempranillo whose production takes into account the most representative aspects of each vintage, and La Felisa, its organic wine without added sulfites. The Malleolus range completes its references: Malleolus, Malleolus de Sanchomartín and Malleolus de Valderramiro, which are named in honor of the oldest vineyards of the winery; and Clone de la Familia, the maximum expression of the Tempranillo variety and the three types of soil of the Ribera del Duero: stony, clay and limestone. The 2016 vintage of that last wine (with an RRP of 275 euros) offers a great wealth of nuances and complexity. It is the son of its oldest vineyard. Their most recent novelty is Elalba, the winery's first rosé (made with tempranillo and albillo mayor).
This riverside winery also began its project in El Bierzo in 2016, where, with 60 hectares already owned, it produces 100% Godello whites: Polvorete, El Zarzal and La Revelía. They also distribute the Joseph Perrier champagne brand in the Spanish market, founded in 1825. In 2021 the group obtained a turnover of 32.5 million euros, which represented a 34% growth over the previous year. In 2022, turnover increased by 13.7% compared to the previous year. The latter was Javier Moro's first year as president of the board of directors after the family schism, taking over from his brother José, who after three decades in the presidency left the company to focus on the also riverside Bodegas Cepa 21. According to Javier Moro, “At Bodegas Emilio Moro we are experiencing a very special moment as a company and as a family. “We are immersed in a time of new opportunities, growth and advances.” The winery, which has a shop and a restaurant, has focused on the wine tourism business and already receives around 12,000 visitors annually.
