Based in Yecla, Familia Castaño is known for its huge efforts to promote one of Spain’s native varieties: Monastrell. Castaño embodies the best of what southern Spain has to offer, producing rich, warm-climate wines, with almost Syrah-like complexity, which overdeliver in terms of value year after year. Castaño began bottling characterful, single-varietal Monastrell in the 1980s, when the variety was used exclusively for bulk wines and blending. Today, in the expert hands of Daniel Castaño and his family, the variety maintains high quality even at moderate to generous yields. 80% of the family’s 600 hectares of vineyards are dedicated to Monastrell, with smaller plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Macabeo and Chardonnay among others. The Monastrell is sourced from dry-farmed, bush and trellised vines up to 70 years old in the ‘Las Gruesas’ and ‘Pozuelo’ vineyards. Totalling 336 hectares, the two vineyards sit at an altitude of 750 metres, with a north-south aspect, on sandy limestone soils.

The 100% Monastrell ‘Hécula’ represents exceptional value for money. Certified organic from the 2019 vintage, it displays succulent ripe black fruit, notes of sweet spice and liquorice and supple ripe tannins. The ‘Colección’, made from 70% old-vine Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, shows more red cherry and dried fruit character, with hints of smokiness and chocolate. The Organic Macabeo, Monastrell Rosado and Monastrell are some of Spain’s best value organic wines. Made for early drinking, they are fresh and elegant thanks to the organically-farmed vineyard’s location at 500 to 700 metres above sea level. Castaño’s Macabeo is bright and fragrant with notes of white peach, apple and zesty lemon. The Monastrell Rosado is a delicate pale pink, as a result of direct pressing and no maceration on the skins, and shows elegant red fruit and floral aromas. The ‘Dulce’ is delicious, full of dried fig, raisin and plum jam flavours, with a rounded mouthfeel and balanced acidity that keeps the finish perfectly fresh.

The fruit for this Macabeo is sourced from 20-year-old, organically farmed vineyards. The vines are planted at 500 metres above sea level on north-facing slopes. Both altitude and northerly aspect provide a cooling influence to temper the region's warm climate and promote fresh aromatics and bright acidity. The soil is sandy-limestone and the vines grow at a density of 2,777 vines per hectare.

The 2022 vintage will be remembered for being a particularly long, hot and dry vintage, which resulted in a challenging growing season. The year was characterised by prolonged periods of heat and drought with significantly low levels of rainfall. The year proved that excellent canopy management was required to protect the vines from extreme summer conditions, especially for early-ripening whites. Thankfully, the altitude and slope aspect of the vineyards provided cool breezes to counteract these harsh temperatures. Overall, the wines produced have a wonderful flavour profile with a notable, refreshing acidity.

Fermentation took place at 15ºC in stainless steel tanks over a period of 14-15 days, in order to preserve the variety's crisp fruit aromatics. After cool stabilisation, the wine was ready for bottling.