Colección de Toneles Centenarios Luis XIV

Cañada, Alicante

A bodega dedicated to the revival of Fondillón, an Alicante specialty wine that gained notoriety in the 16th and 17th centuries and with notable historical figures such as King Louis XIV from which the project takes its name. The winery itself was founded by the Ferrero family but was shut down in the 1960s when they moved into the local co-op. It was in 2015, that David Carbonell of Vins de Comtat and Ferrero Valdés, a grape contractor, discovered 25 casks or 'toneles'. Through carbon dating, they were able to find out how old the wine was and to their surprise, the wine was still tasting good. The breakdown is as follows:

10 barrels 'toneles' of 800L from the end of the 19th century

4 barrels 'toneles' of 850L from the end of the 19th century

11 barrels 'pipas' of 500L from the beginning of the 20th century

Fondillón is traditionally produced from Monastrell and can age for a long time in solera thanks to naturally high levels of alcohol. The resulting wine can be off-dry to semi-sweet, and can sometimes be referred to as, 'rancio,' even though oxidation is not deliberate but does occur over the ageing process.  Barrels are topped up as per tradition, and solera method is used in the same barrel to limit air exposure.

Working with about 25 ha of original farmland, in the small village of Cañada where the climate is Mediterranean, Monastrell plus other indigenous varieties are grown at 500+m above sea level. For Fondillón, Monastrell is left to ripen on the vine for an extended period until the sugars are very concentrated then it is hand-harvested and naturally fermented in large oak barrels. It must be aged for 10 years at least, but they age their Fondillón for 25 years and 50 years. What makes this wine so unique is that it reaches a high level of alcohol without fortification. It drinks like a cross between a port and a sherry but is uniquely Alicante.

In addition to Fondillón wines, they also make a medium sweet vermut, and dry white, orange and red from local varietals. All grapes are grown with respect for the ecology and treatments are kept to a minimum.