STORY
As mentioned, Montepilas Blanco is José Miguel’s best-known wine. And for good reason. Not only intent on reinvigorating wine growing in his village but also committed to the preservation of native varieties, it is fitting that his best wine comes from a virtually unknown native variety, Montepilas. Little is known about this grape other than the fact that it only exists in this part of Andalucia. Montepilas naturally ripens to a dark color and high levels of sugar, which give the resulting wine a dark color suggesting skin contact. Though it is technically not an orange wine, even the brief time the skins and the juice are together extract some tannic properties that give classic macerated characteristics to the resulting wine.
HOW TO
A wine of considerable depth and complexity, expect notes of herbal tea, white flowers, white pepper, and bright melon. With considerable grip and freshness underlying its fruit, it is a white wine for food. Try it with any assortment of cheeses and charcuterie and you will not be disappointed. Like all Marenas wines, it sees no added sulphur at any point throughout the process. As such, keep the wines in a cool place if not consuming immediately.
