A Tour of Bodega Gutierrez in Parcent
A Wine Tour and History of the Bodega
We've been planning a trip to this Bodega for ages but with the Covid restrictions it was impossible until now.
This is the Bodega that provided the dessert wine for the Queen's wedding and it's in our little village!
The tour was at 11.30am on a boiling hot August morning, we all met at the enormous front door and Mr Gutierrez led us to a side entrance.
The building was originally an old mill and in 1982 they took it over so they could expand their business, not just of wine but of vinegar, oil and honey too.
To say the house has a wow factor is an understatement.
Designed in an Arabic style, the traditional blue and white floor tiles complete the look and continue through the house leading you from room to room.
We're told the blue and white are the colours of Javea where Mrs Gutierrez's family were from and where the business began.
From the entrance room we pass through a very unique kitchen comprising of an old style including 3 wood ovens and a modern part with an enviable cooking range.
The original well, although unused now adds even more character to the room.
As with most of the Spanish townhouses, this had that Tardis feeling as we passed through the kitchen and through double doors leading into an Arabic style courtyard complete with fountain.
The balcony above had the Arabic shaped arches giving it a completely authentic look.
If I could have a courtyard I'd want it exactly like this!
We were shown the dining room at the end of the house which is used for the tastings in Winter which had spectacular views of Coll de Rates.
We were then led down a stunning stairway, down into the cellar.
Recondita Armoni was the first and original wine produced here and at the bottom of the stairs they have a collection of casks celebrating the births of each of the 3 children and now the Grandchild.
The cellar is gloriously cold as we enter, though I'm sure a coat is required for Winter tastings.
The enormous room is built deep underground, the 'living' walls provide the right humidity levels and temperature for the wine.
It was full of casks on one side, made from every kind of wood for different results. He had the usual oak, French and American but also Hungarian and Caucasion.
There was an area for the vats, a working area for bottling and labelling and another part dedicated to the storage of the wine in bottles.
And so to the wine tasting!
The wines are made primarily from three varieties; Monastrell, Muscat and Giro coming from several different vineyards in the Valencia/Alicante regions.
He produces 12 different wines, many more if you include picking a year! We got to try 7 so I only think I can remember them all, must take notes next time!
Firstly we tried a really fruity dry Moscatell, Casta Diva Golden Harvest which was popular with all.
Casta Diva is the name used for many of his wines. The Diva part comes from his love of the Arts, this one being Maria Callas but also apparent in all the names of his wines and labels.
The second was another white; Monte Diva which I thought quite appropriate for us walkers, it literally tasted of a mountain walk with the thyme and rosemary quite apparent.
We moved on to a couple of reds, one called Rojo y Negro,(Stendhal) red and black followed by the Ulysses (James Joyce).
We cheekily then asked to try his most expensive wine, a sweet red, which he obliged at which point we all wished we were rich!
We moved back into the cask room to sample the last couple of wines direct from the cask.
The final tasting was from the Recondita Armonia collection, between us we tried 3 different years but there were enough different barrels here to make a tasting session on it's own, ranging from 2001 to present day.
No tour is complete without a trip to the shop!! We all obligingly bought a bottle or two to take home.
Balanced Life Holidays is a trading name of Spatial Techniques Ltd
