Famous for a short while, at least; and even more lately that the Spanish and foreign wine scene are focusing on this little corner of Spain.
Until recently, developing this area was like preaching to the winds; as Guardiola once said: “We are a small area called Sierra de Gredos and barely noticed.” But perhaps this is changing.
For several years now, important figures in the world of domestic wine have been landing here (area of Pelayos, Cadalsos, Cenicientos, Cebreros, El Tiemblo, Las Rozas, San Martin de Valdeiglesias). The first one I remember was Telmo Rodriguez and shortly after came Raul Perez, which incidentally, before settling here, came to my cellar/warehouse to taste our wines. A real pity that at the time I did not know who he was. Almost immediately they began their projects, Telmo Rodriguez in Cebreros (before that his first contact with the area was in San Martin) and Raul Perez with Bernabeleva. From there, came other winemakers and more projects.
I’ve read few articles about the history of the Sierra de Gredos and it really pisses me off that in any of them, at least the ones I’ve seen, there is not even a small mention of what these lands were like, before all these projects. As if this area came from nowhere.
And before all that, were vintners and cooperatives. Cooperatives in each one of the villages of the Sierra de Gredos. Cooperatives like the one in San Martin that produced up to a million kilograms of grapes.
But above all, winegrowers that kept their old Grenache and Albillo strains even if to maintain these old vineyards could cost them blood, sweat and especially money. Winegrowers who did not welcome the restructuring plans of the vineyard. Winegrowers who took care of their vineyards in very tough times.
So thanks to these winegrowers, today we have these old strains that are the foundation of the revival of this area.
Cheers to them!!