Pago Finca Elez, organic wine

Pago Finca Elez was the first winery to join the "nobility" of the Pago wineries recorded. The prerequisite for recognition as a Pago winery are the following criteria set by the Spanish Parliament:

The criteria for Vino de Pago wineries

• A Vino de Pago must have at least the quality of DOCa wines.
• A Vino de Pago area must be smaller than the municipal district in which it is located.
• A Vino de Pago must have a quality control system that corresponds to that of DOCa wines.
• If a Vino de Pago winery is within a DOCa denominacion, it may be offered as Vino de Pago Calificado.
• The vineyards of a Vino de Pago must be known for exceptionally good, typical, strong-character wines.
• Vino de Pago come from vineyards with soil- and climate-dependent vegetation, their own microclimate that distinguishes them from their surroundings.
• Vino de Pago can come from different vineyards (locations) of a winery.
• Vino de Pago is therefore to be distinguished from Pago, the Spanish term for a single vineyard.

Finca Élez, here, not only organic farming practiced,
but electricity is also generated

Finca Élez

A unique environment makes the organic wines from Fince Élez so special. There are several factors:

• Vineyards located nearby in the middle of a 1,000-year-old juniper forest.
• Vineyards at an altitude of 1,000 meters.
• An extremely continental climate with very hot summers with large temperature differences between day and night, very relatively cold winters, occasionally with a lot of snow.
• Barren, not very fertile, stony soils with clay deposits on limestone.

Finca Élez, vineyard in spring

These harsh external conditions extend the vegetation and ripening phases of the grapes and lead to lower yields. The result is high-quality organic wines with characteristic freshness and minerality.

Finca Élez, vineyard in winter

The vineyard

At the Pago Finca Élez, quality wines are produced from high-quality Tempranillo grapes and French grape varieties in the 39 hectares of vineyards. These were brought here from France during the founding phase.  The greatest attention was paid to clones that had to be ideally suited to the soil and climate conditions. For the Chardonnay vine, the choice fell on saplings from Burgundy, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon came from Bordeaux and Syrah from the Rhône region.

Finca Èlez was the first winery to be allowed to use the Vino de Pago award.

The Finca Élez was founded in 1992 by Manuel Manzaneque, a gentleman from show business. Following the advice of the French oenologist Michel Poudou, Manuel Manzaneque looked for a special place in which to carry out his project, destined to produce unique wines due to the particular characteristics of the climate, soil and environment. True to the idea of highlighting the terroir and conveying the personality of the surroundings through its wines.

This attitude was diametrically different from the trend of the time to form ever larger cooperatives with wine-growing areas of up to 10,000 hectares, which were processed exclusively with machines that are available today carry out all work in the vineyard independently using computer support. They set almost no limits to the yield, produce wines of the lowest quality and depopulate the region's villages because young people can no longer find jobs. In 1920 the population was more than 5,000, in 2022 it was only 2,800 rounded.

The village of El Bonillo, near which Pago Finca Èlez is located, could be a charming, lively place. It lies on a plateau that is interrupted by occasional elevations. The region is characterized by agriculture; since the phylloxera plague, grain production has largely replaced viticulture. A bullring in which several corridas take place every year provides a bit of variety. About 20 km away there is a large wetland with the Lagunas de Ruidera, numerous lakes and ponds, waterfalls and grottos. You can hike along the Ruta del Quijote or Cervantes' tracks, or go mountain biking.

Ollaldo Villoldo, the owner and Javier and Carlo, the wine makers

A new start

At the beginning of 2020, Pago Finca Élez changed hands by being acquired by the Villoid Ruiz family.

The new owners are trained agricultural scientists and therefore have the best qualifications to ensure the proper care of the vineyards and vines, because as they say, good wine is made in the vineyard. They were born here and have roots in their homeland and they will continue to successfully run Pago Finca Élez.
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