Baldovar 923 - Valencia

Located in the mountains of Valencia, in the village of Baldovar (at 923 meters altitude). Baldovar 923 was born in 2016 as a dream of its four founders and based on the tremendous potential to produce high quality wines given the purity of the soils, climatic characteristics, high altitude, and the old vine varieties of the area.  They restored the wine cellars from a cooperative built in 1958 that had closed more than a decade prior. Their 14 hectares of vines are 20-80 years old and grow at 900-1,200 meters altitude. Their wines are made with as little intervention as possible, both in the vineyards and in the cellar using indigenous yeasts with no added fining agents, nutrients, or chemicals.

Baldovar 923 Cañada París Blanco 2019

100% Merseguera from 20-60 year-old vines planted at 900-1,200 meters in chalky limestone and sand schists from the Cretaceous and Jurassic periods.

Winemaking: Spontaneous fermentation and resting on the fine lees for 9 months while aging in Stainless Steel (90%) and 500L French Oak (10%). Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Production: 880 cases

Baldovar 923 Rascaña 2020 (Orange Wine)

70% Merseguera/30% Macabeu from 20-60 year-old vines planted at 900-1,200 meters in chalky limestone and sand schists.

Winemaking:  Spontaneous fermentation with the skins for 50% (all Merseguera), leaving the remaining Merseguera and Macabeu to ferment without skins after a pre fermentative maceration for a half lunar cycle.  Aged for 10 months in stainless steel tanks, used 500 liter barrels, and “Padilla” 250 liters clay amphora.  Blended one day before bottling.

Production: 560 cases

Baldovar 923 Pieza la Moza Rosado 2020

70% Tempranillo/30% Bobal from 25-80 year-old vines planted at 1,000 meters in vines rooted over fossilized corals and oysters.

Winemaking:  Whole bunches to direct press. Grapes are loaded directly from the vineyard into a pneumatic press. After a gentle pressing, the must is racked off lees and then wild fermented in barrels and steel tanks. Aged 10 months over fine lees in used oak, glass demi-johns, & stainless steel. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Production: 190 cases

Baldovar 923 Cerro Negro Mencía 2020

100% Mencía from 40-year-old vines planted at 980 meters. Bush (gobelet) and trellis trained vines.

Winemaking:  70% destemmed for semi-carbonic maceration and 30% whole cluster for cold carbonic maceration. Spontaneous fermentation with the skins for a half lunar cycle where grapes are softly extracted with daily foot stomping. 10 months total with 70% in clay amphora and 30% in stainless steel. Blended together into stainless in May 2021.

Production: 300 cases

Baldovar 923 Berandía Bobal 2019

100% Bobal from 20-30 year-old vines planted at 960-1,170 meters in loamy-sandy calcareous colluvium soils.

Winemaking:  Spontaneous fermentation and a light daily bâtonnage. Aged 18 months in 500L french oak and stainless. Minimal total SO2 (30 ppm). Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Production: 350 cases

Decanter 95 - Baldovar 923 Cerro Negro Mencía 2020

This project was founded in 2016 at the former cooperative in Baldovar (at 923m), with the aim of working with local indigenous vines. The 14ha of vineyards are certified organic, and the winemaking is a blend of carbonic and semi-carbonic maceration. The free-run juice of the semi-carbonic ages in clay tinajas, the remainder in stainless steel. The final blend includes 54L of the previous vintage, from a glass demijohn.

Sarah Jane Evans MW:  Notes of cranberries, Morello cherries, sweet spice. Plump, generous entry, fine expression of juice, undertones of fennel, liquorice, mint. Mediterranean Mencía!.

Beth Willard:  Great balance of ripe red fruits and acidity with well integrated oak. Perhaps better drunk slightly younger.

David Williams:  Bright, gently perfumed, juicy macerated cherry and plum. Fluency and drinkability, graceful softness with a touch of basil-like herbal interest.

Decanter 94 - Baldovar 923 Rascaña 2018

Reviewed by: Sarah Jane Evans, MW

Issue Date: October 10, 2019

This orange wine – a blend of the local Merseguera with Macabeo – was fermented on skins. Aromatic, with grapefruit zest aromas and refreshingly crisp with a salty sign-off. The high vineyards (up to 1,200m) are organic in conversion. Drink 2019-2022 Alcohol 12%.

Peñín 90 - Baldovar 923 Cañada París Blanco 2019

Color:  Bright straw.  Nose:  Fruit expression, floral, balanced.  Palate:  Flavorful, fresh, good acidity, fruity aftertaste.

Peñín 92 - Baldovar 923 Rascaña 2020 (Orange Wine)

Style:  Little interventionist.  Color:  Straw.  Nose:  Ripe fruit, dried herbs, faded flowers.  Palate:  Powerful, ripe fruit, balanced, full-bodied.

Peñín 90 - Baldovar 923 Pieza la Moza Rosado 2019

Color:  Raspberry rose.  Nose:  Red berry notes, floral, fragrant herbs.  Palate:  Light-bodied, good acidity, fine bitter notes.

Peñín 90 - Baldovar 923 Cerro Negro Mencía 2020

Color:  Cherry, purple rim.  Nose:  Fine reductive notes, red berry notes, wild herbs, spicy, floral.  Palate:  Fruity, flavorful, balanced.

Peñín 92 - Baldovar 923 Berandía Bobal 2018

Color:  Bright cherry.  Nose:  Balsamic herbs, sweet spices, scrubland, red berry notes.  Palate:  Spicy, balsamic, good acidity.

Peñín 90 - Baldovar 923 Berandía Bobal 2019

Color:  Cherry, purple rim.  Nose:  Black fruit, red berry notes, spicy, smoky.  Palate:  Fruity, spicy, smoky aftertaste.