THE BODEGA
Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León
Address: Ctra. Circunvalación s/n 49708 Villanueva del Campeán (Zamora)
Website: www.bodegascenit.com
Oenologist: María Jose Cepeda
Year of foundation: 2004
Average annual production: 200,000
Sub-area: Viñas del Cenit is located in the heart of the historical Tierra del
Vino de Zamora, a region that has some of the oldest and most unique
vineyards in Spain
Vineyard: Viñas del Cenit thrives on vineyards exclusively located in the
municipalities of Villanueva de Campeán and Cabañas de Sayago, within
the scope of the D.O. Tierra del Vino. Thanks to the climate in the
region and the philosophy of the bodega, a viticulture is followed
using environmentally-friendly organic products and the work is carried
out in a sustainable manner
Location: South-east of the province of Zamora, at both sides of
River Duero
Orography: Hills
Altitude: 750 m
Climate: Dry continental climate, cold winters, hot summers
Average rainfall: 400 mm.
Soils: Varied surfaces with sand, cobbles and clay; and clay with
different depths
Age of the vineyard:
Old vineyards: Pre-phylioxera, over 120 years of age
Young vineyards: 20-30 years of age
Pruning system: Gobelet
Plantation pattern:
Old vineyards: 2.7 x 2.7 m
Young vineyards: 1.30 x 3.30 m
Plantation density:
Average production:
Old vineyards: 3,000 kg/ha
Young vineyards: 5,000 kg/ha
Harvest: Manual
Irrigation: Scarce rainfalls
Variety: Tempranillo
Fermentation vats and tanks: The winery has 32 open stainless-steel vats where the temperature is controlled. They are tub-type vats with a maximum capacity of
4,000 kg. It also has two wooden tanks to ferment and age some of the more
special lots. The capacity of the vats ranges between 1,000 and 25,000 litres
Ageing: Ageing is exclusively carried out in French oak barrels from different cooperages. In general terms, we use the barrels for a maximum of 5 years, once
and twice for wines from old vineyards (Cenit VDC, Cenit and Via Cenit) and the
further uses are reserved for Aleo, Venta Mazarrón and Villano.
TIERRA DEL VINO DE ZAMORA
In the search for unique vineyards on the left bank of River Duero and part of
the millenary region of Tierra del Vino, Viñas del Cenit has accumulated some
of the most unique centenary vineyards in Spain.
River Duero crosses a landscape of vineyards from the cold province of Soria,
giving meaning to regions such as La Ribera del Duero, Rueda or Toro, to
Tierra del Vino de Zamora, changing its name as it enters our neighbour
Portugal.
The great appeal of this little-known denomination of origin resides in its very
old and highly commendable Tempranillo vines, which are distributed
throughout a fragmented cultivation of small plots of land, some of them very
small, and whose fruit transmits a marked personality to the wines. The local
Tempranillo varieties are, without a doubt, more opulent and warm, but they are
also well balanced and they present a good acidity. They are also rich in tannins
and in mineral expression. These qualities contribute to the excellent ageing
capacity of these wines.
VINEYARDS
The region of Tierra del Vino de Zamora has been producing wine since the
11th century, as we can see in the oldest texts found. Historically, the economy
of the region was based exclusively on the production of wine and liqueur.
This winegrowing and winemaking tradition and a love for the vineyard have
helped preserve vineyards with over 150 years of age, specifically in the area of
the bodega, in the village of Villanueva de Campeán.
The different varieties that can be found in the region were introduced by the
high volume of pilgrims that passed through this village while walking the Vía de
la Plata. Throughout the years, this has given rise to a selection of the best
clones and adaptations of these varieties, which in our case has resulted in a
totally unique clone of the Tempranillo variety with a great personality.
The vineyards are located around
the bodega on hills that provide
them different orientations and
higher altitudes, thus favouring
better maturations.
LANDSCAPE AND CLIMATE
This region is located on the far west and therefore it has a higher altitude than
its closest winegrowing and winemaking village, Toro, reaching up to 750 m
above sea level. This results in colder temperatures, especially during the
summer and the month of September, which is essential in the maturation of
grapes. In addition to this particularity, the region is subject to greater aeration,
with a continuous breeze that refreshes and keeps the grapes healthy in the
wetter seasons.
The combination of these characteristics gives rise to an ecological
winegrowing, as the climate conditions favour healthy crops.
SOILS
The diversity of the soils in the region is largely due to three rivers having
crossed through it in past times, mainly leaving very fine sand sediments but
also areas where the land surface exclusively consists of cobbles.
Another characteristic of these soils is their depth. This is because it is the final
stretch of River Duero and therefore there is a larger amount of fine sediments.
The soils are mainly made up of sand on the surface and clay at further depths.
There are also areas where we can find a concentration of cobbles on the
surface.
BODEGA AND WINEMAKING
The winery has 32 open stainless-steel vats where the temperature is
controlled. They are tub-type vats with a maximum capacity of 4,000 kg. It also
has two wooden tanks to ferment and age some of the more special lots. The
capacity of the vats ranges between 1,000 and 25,000 litres.
The winemaking process is carried out with extreme care and in a fragmented
way. The open vats with a capacity not exceeding 4,000 kg enable the making
of wine from each of the different areas of the vineyard individually. These vats
are the modern equivalent of the old press rooms, and it is where the essence
of these centenary grapes is extracted. They are ideal for fermenting the
Tempranillo variety of the region, as they allow the musts to oxygenate perfectly
during the alcoholic fermentation, and they favour the contact of the thick skins
of the old grapes with the must.
Each vat is monitored individually with the aim of obtaining the best qualities
from each of the vineyards. Plunging and pump overs are carried out manually.
Once the alcoholic fermentation has concluded, and following a gentle pressing,
the wine is taken directly to the barrel to undergo malolactic fermentation.
The combination of the Tempranillo variety and the French oak barrel in this
region is perfect, and the wines benefit from this extended contact with the
wood, in such a way that it enhances and strengthens the personality of the
grapes.
Usually, the barrels are chosen from different
cooperages and they are used for a maximum
of five years. The first and second uses are
reserved for the wines grown in the older
vineyards, such as Cenit VDC, Cenit and Via
Cenit, and the remaining uses are saved for the
rest of the wines.
Varieties
The region's Tempranillo clone, the Tinta
Madrid as it is known here, has very special
characteristics. It is strong like its neighbour
Tinta de Toro, but elegant like the Tempranillo
varieties used in Ribera. It has a thick skin full of tannins, but it has a smooth
and granular texture on the palate. The expression of the aromas and tastes is
very particular, with notes of coffee, liquorish and sweet spices even before it
touches the wood. These two characteristics make it different to the Tinta de
Toro, which is aromatically more inclined towards berries and black fruits and
whose tannins are more noticeable.
OUR WINES
Villano
Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo
Average annual production: 60.000
Villano is a full bodied, fruit forward wine that faithfully reflects
its Zamoran origins while also being surprisingly sildy and
fresh. It has the vivacity and energy of our younger vineyards
and combines it with the wisdom and cunning
mischievousness that only age lends to our older vines. Its
Zamoran heritage blends the exuberance of the Tinta de Toro
grapes with the finesse of the terroir of the D. O. Tierra del
Vino de Zamora. It truly is an enchanting Villano.
RATINGS
WINE SPECTATOR 2014
VILLANO 2012
89 ptos.
WINE CELLAR- STEPHEN TANZER 2014
90 ptos.
VILLANO 2013
GUÍA PEÑÍN 2016 91 ptos.
Venta Mazarrón
Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo
Aging: 8 months in oak barriques
Average annual production: 90.000
Venta Mazarrón is intense and approachable in style. It has an excellent
fruity and tannic concentration and is an excellent example of the
elegance of the wines produced from our regions “young vineyards” that
have an averae age of 40 years. In other parts of Spain these vineyards
would actually be considered “old”.
GUÍA PEÑÍN 2014
2011
WINE CELLAR- STEPHEN TANZER 2014
90ptos
93ptos
2012
93ptos GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015
2013
91ptos GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015
Vía Cenit
Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo
Aging: 12 months in french oak barriques
Average annual production: 14.000
Vía Cenit is born from a selection of pre-phylloxeric vineyards that
are between 80 and 100 years old. The area where his winery is
found is famous for its numerous minuscule vineyards plots with a
wide array of soil profiles and terrains with varying exposures to
the sun. The intense aromatic expression of these grapes is
packed with ripe fruits and sweet spices with hints of clove,
nutmeg and cinnamon. It is a rich and rounded wine with very
finely polished tannins.
2011
90 ptos WINE SPECTATOR 2014
GUÍA PEÑÍN 2014 93 ptos
94 ptos
2010
GUÍA PEÑÍN 2013
92 ptos
2012
STEPHEN TANZER 2014
GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015
93 ptos
2013
GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015
91 ptos
Cenit
Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo
Aging: 18 months in french oak barriques (100% new)
Average annual production: 9.000-10.000
Cenit is a selection of pre-phyloxeric Tempranillo (known in
this región as Tinta Madrid) vineyards that are aged
between 120 and 150 years old. The grapes from these
ancient vineyards are characterized by their thick skins
that allow us to extract a wide array of complex aromas
and flavours while giving us a high tannic concentration
that give Cenit a silky mouthfeel and an exceptionally
elegant personality.
CENIT 2009
94ptos GUÍA PEÑIN 2014
WINE ADVOCATE 96-98ptos
WINE ADVOCATE
CENIT 2006
90 ptos
WINE ADVOCATE
CENIT 2008
93ptos
GUÍA PEÑIN 2013
STEPHEN TANZER
95 ptos
94 ptos
STEPHEN TANZER 2014
CENIT 2010
92 ptos
GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015 95 ptos
CENIT 2011
GUÍA PEÑÍN 2016 93 ptos
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