Jose Antonio Garcia Cubos del Paramo Joven

Jose Antonio García and his wife Julia Peña García (JAG) are at the forefront of the next generation of vignerons in Bierzo leading the charge towards wines of place and definition. Their familial roots in Bierzo are fundamental to them, as they do all of the work in the vineyards themselves, which is signified by the term viticultor on their bottles. Jose’s mother is a native of Valtuille de Abajo, and his father is a native of Corullón. Together, Jose and Julia’s families have owned vineyards in Bierzo for generations. All of their wines are hand-harvested, foot-crushed, and vinified very carefully with native fermentation and without manipulation.

Jose and Julia’s latest project reclaims the viticultural heritage of the Páramo Léones region. This is the homeland of Prieto Picudo, a dark-skinned grape with compact clusters that is often likened to Tempranillo. Winemaking has a long, mostly-forgotten history in the area, with nearly all vineyards having been ripped up in the last century. JAG tends to two unique vineyards sites here, making use of their expertise in organic farming and natural winemaking. Cubos del Páramo is made from a 2.5-hectare vineyard called El Canal. The vines are around 20 years old and the soil is very poor and rocky, with rolled galets. This is a fresh, lively, transparent expression of what Prieto Picudo can be.