Bodega Sotero Pintado

The Bodega Sotero Pintado is a very small but privileged winery by Spanish standards. Their nine-hectare vineyards are among the few in Europe that were not destroyed by phylloxera, which was introduced from America, during the period from the mid-19th to the beginning of the 20th century. This insect, which only attacked the roots of European vines, brought European viticulture to a virtual standstill.

This is what happened to viticulture in Castilla y Leon and in Benegiles, a municipality 20 km north of Zamora. Most of the vines have been cleared and it is only by chance that some vineyard owners found clearing them too laborious. Vineyards and agricultural land had little value back then, so it wasn't worth investing work into them. Only Sotero Pintado recognized the value and potential of the old vines and began to reactivate them, care for them and produce wonderful wines from them. He wasn't content with the family's own vineyards, but was looking for other "forgotten" old vines in the region to buy up space.

Sotero, the fifth generation descendant of the former owner, recognized the value and quality potential of these ancient, true-root vines and cultivates them with the necessary dedication to produce unique wines from them and also officially convert to organic viticulture. Actually, this was just a formal matter, because unrooted vines are not susceptible to powdery mildew and downy mildew and therefore never had to be treated with fungicides. The use of insecticides has also been banned in this region for many years due to the widespread keeping of racing pigeons.

This is what happened to viticulture in Castilla y Leon and in Benegiles, a municipality 20 km north of Zamora. Most of the vines have been cleared and it is only by chance that some vineyard owners found clearing them too laborious. Vineyards and agricultural land had little value back then, so it wasn't worth investing work into them. Only Sotero Pintado recognized the value and potential of the old vines and began to reactivate them, care for them and produce wonderful wines from them. He wasn't content with the family's own vineyards, but was looking for other "forgotten" old vines in the region to buy up space.

In the Spanish wine guide Guia Penin, the red wines from Bodega Sortero Pintado were rated very well:

Sotero Pintado Reguiliona 92 ​​points
Soero Pintado Totem 91 points
Sotero Pintado Bravucon 90 points
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