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The Spanish organic winery Bodegas Tempore has introduced a wine made from the almost extinct grape variety Derechero de Muniesa. This indigenous red grape used to grow mainly in the 800-metre-high municipality of Muniesa, 85 km south of Zaragoza, and was cultivated before the arrival of phylloxera (pre-phylloxera).
The closure of the local cooperative winery threatened the vine with extinction. Bodegas Tempore supports a project of the regional rural support organisation, the Centro de Transferencia Agroalimentaria (CTA), and the winegrower Víctor Yus from Muniesa. He still grows the almost forgotten variety on 1.5 ha. The parties involved are cooperating to preserve the variety. From the first vintage now presented, 3,500 bottles were filled. They are sold for about 22 euros ex winery.
Paula Yago, owner of Bodegas Tempore, said at the event: "The restoration of grape varieties is a very important factor for the protection of our territorial heritage. Moreover, the loss or reduction of the cultivation of these grape varieties leads to a depletion of biodiversity, the so-called 'genetic erosion', which significantly damages ecosystems."
(al / source: wine-searcher; photo: facebook/bodegastempore)