At Bodegas Jiménez-Landi they are absolutely convinced that nature offers her best gifts when treated with respect, “which has led us to practice organic agriculture and learn about biodynamics; methods we use on the 27 hectares we own. We have never used anything other than sulphur on our vineyards”, states Daniel, who believes that this is the best way for his wines to embody the climate, the soil and the grape variety they are made from.

By using these methods he aims to get the best from his vineyard, which is located on two separate areas within the DO Méntrida region. The appellation’s endorsed vines extend from the north-west of the province of Toledo, bordering the provinces of Ávila and Madrid, starting at the foot of the sierra de Gredos all the way to the Tagus river, and are irrigated along the course of the Alberche. Here, the Jiménez-Landi cousins own two estates located in the municipality of Méntrida, both with sandy-clay granite based soils: ‘Pedromoro’ and ‘La Dehesa’ which have a total of 19 hectares between them with vines under 10 years old from which they make their ‘Sotorrondero’, a wine made primarily from Syrah and which, depending on the year, Daniel Gómez Jiménez-Landi blends with Merlot, Cabernet or Garnacha, although just lately he tends to opt for the latter.

“Sotorrondero’s character is already formed on the vine, and we try to maintain the expression of the Méntida vineyards at the bodega. I would highlight the wine’s balance between tannins and alcohol, and between wood and fruit. It’s a very pleasant wine to drink and the easiest range to understand. I want to get the most of the Syrah grape and make a wine whose quality-price ratio is competitive”, stated the wine’s author, who also believes that this wine has a great future potential as its 9 to10 year-old vines still have to obtain all of the nuances the soil has to offer, hence its special value as an ‘in crescendo’ wine. At the moment 28,000 bottles have been made from the 2006 vintage, putting ‘Sotorrondero’ in the lead as the bodega’s basic range.

Bodegas Jiménez-Landi’s other property is located 50 kilometres from Méntrida, in the municipality of Real de San Vicente, where they own seven small plots of Garnacha totalling eight hectares, located at an altitude of 750 to 850 metres and with various degrees of exposure. In the Sierra de San Vicente the vines were planted in 1960 on siliceous granite based soils. It could be said that this vineyard is the Jiménez-Landi’s ‘spoilt child’ and it is here where the bodega’s star wine, ‘Piélago’, is made.