THE BODEGA

Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León

Address: Ctra. Circunvalación s/n 49708 Villanueva del Campeán (Zamora)

Website: www.bodegascenit.com

Oenologist: María Jose Cepeda

Year of foundation: 2004

Average annual production: 200,000

Sub-area: Viñas del Cenit is located in the heart of the historical Tierra del

Vino de Zamora, a region that has some of the oldest and most unique

vineyards in Spain

Vineyard: Viñas del Cenit thrives on vineyards exclusively located in the

municipalities of Villanueva de Campeán and Cabañas de Sayago, within

the scope of the D.O. Tierra del Vino. Thanks to the climate in the

region and the philosophy of the bodega, a viticulture is followed

using environmentally-friendly organic products and the work is carried

out in a sustainable manner

Location: South-east of the province of Zamora, at both sides of

River Duero

Orography: Hills

Altitude: 750 m

Climate: Dry continental climate, cold winters, hot summers

Average rainfall: 400 mm.

Soils: Varied surfaces with sand, cobbles and clay; and clay with

different depths

Age of the vineyard:

Old vineyards: Pre-phylioxera, over 120 years of age

Young vineyards: 20-30 years of age

Pruning system: Gobelet

Plantation pattern:

Old vineyards: 2.7 x 2.7 m

Young vineyards: 1.30 x 3.30 m

Plantation density:

Average production:

Old vineyards: 3,000 kg/ha

Young vineyards: 5,000 kg/ha

Harvest: Manual

Irrigation: Scarce rainfalls

Variety: Tempranillo

Fermentation vats and tanks: The winery has 32 open stainless-steel vats where the temperature is controlled. They are tub-type vats with a maximum capacity of

4,000 kg. It also has two wooden tanks to ferment and age some of the more

special lots. The capacity of the vats ranges between 1,000 and 25,000 litres

Ageing: Ageing is exclusively carried out in French oak barrels from different cooperages. In general terms, we use the barrels for a maximum of 5 years, once

and twice for wines from old vineyards (Cenit VDC, Cenit and Via Cenit) and the

further uses are reserved for Aleo, Venta Mazarrón and Villano.

TIERRA DEL VINO DE ZAMORA

In the search for unique vineyards on the left bank of River Duero and part of

the millenary region of Tierra del Vino, Viñas del Cenit has accumulated some

of the most unique centenary vineyards in Spain.

River Duero crosses a landscape of vineyards from the cold province of Soria,

giving meaning to regions such as La Ribera del Duero, Rueda or Toro, to

Tierra del Vino de Zamora, changing its name as it enters our neighbour

Portugal.

The great appeal of this little-known denomination of origin resides in its very

old and highly commendable Tempranillo vines, which are distributed

throughout a fragmented cultivation of small plots of land, some of them very

small, and whose fruit transmits a marked personality to the wines. The local

Tempranillo varieties are, without a doubt, more opulent and warm, but they are

also well balanced and they present a good acidity. They are also rich in tannins

and in mineral expression. These qualities contribute to the excellent ageing

capacity of these wines.

VINEYARDS

The region of Tierra del Vino de Zamora has been producing wine since the

11th century, as we can see in the oldest texts found. Historically, the economy

of the region was based exclusively on the production of wine and liqueur.

This winegrowing and winemaking tradition and a love for the vineyard have

helped preserve vineyards with over 150 years of age, specifically in the area of

the bodega, in the village of Villanueva de Campeán.

The different varieties that can be found in the region were introduced by the

high volume of pilgrims that passed through this village while walking the Vía de

la Plata. Throughout the years, this has given rise to a selection of the best

clones and adaptations of these varieties, which in our case has resulted in a

totally unique clone of the Tempranillo variety with a great personality.

The vineyards are located around

the bodega on hills that provide

them different orientations and

higher altitudes, thus favouring

better maturations.

LANDSCAPE AND CLIMATE

This region is located on the far west and therefore it has a higher altitude than

its closest winegrowing and winemaking village, Toro, reaching up to 750 m

above sea level. This results in colder temperatures, especially during the

summer and the month of September, which is essential in the maturation of

grapes. In addition to this particularity, the region is subject to greater aeration,

with a continuous breeze that refreshes and keeps the grapes healthy in the

wetter seasons.

The combination of these characteristics gives rise to an ecological

winegrowing, as the climate conditions favour healthy crops.

SOILS

The diversity of the soils in the region is largely due to three rivers having

crossed through it in past times, mainly leaving very fine sand sediments but

also areas where the land surface exclusively consists of cobbles.

Another characteristic of these soils is their depth. This is because it is the final

stretch of River Duero and therefore there is a larger amount of fine sediments.

The soils are mainly made up of sand on the surface and clay at further depths.

There are also areas where we can find a concentration of cobbles on the

surface.

BODEGA AND WINEMAKING

The winery has 32 open stainless-steel vats where the temperature is

controlled. They are tub-type vats with a maximum capacity of 4,000 kg. It also

has two wooden tanks to ferment and age some of the more special lots. The

capacity of the vats ranges between 1,000 and 25,000 litres.

The winemaking process is carried out with extreme care and in a fragmented

way. The open vats with a capacity not exceeding 4,000 kg enable the making

of wine from each of the different areas of the vineyard individually. These vats

are the modern equivalent of the old press rooms, and it is where the essence

of these centenary grapes is extracted. They are ideal for fermenting the

Tempranillo variety of the region, as they allow the musts to oxygenate perfectly

during the alcoholic fermentation, and they favour the contact of the thick skins

of the old grapes with the must.

Each vat is monitored individually with the aim of obtaining the best qualities

from each of the vineyards. Plunging and pump overs are carried out manually.

Once the alcoholic fermentation has concluded, and following a gentle pressing,

the wine is taken directly to the barrel to undergo malolactic fermentation.

The combination of the Tempranillo variety and the French oak barrel in this

region is perfect, and the wines benefit from this extended contact with the

wood, in such a way that it enhances and strengthens the personality of the

grapes.

Usually, the barrels are chosen from different

cooperages and they are used for a maximum

of five years. The first and second uses are

reserved for the wines grown in the older

vineyards, such as Cenit VDC, Cenit and Via

Cenit, and the remaining uses are saved for the

rest of the wines.

Varieties

The region's Tempranillo clone, the Tinta

Madrid as it is known here, has very special

characteristics. It is strong like its neighbour

Tinta de Toro, but elegant like the Tempranillo

varieties used in Ribera. It has a thick skin full of tannins, but it has a smooth

and granular texture on the palate. The expression of the aromas and tastes is

very particular, with notes of coffee, liquorish and sweet spices even before it

touches the wood. These two characteristics make it different to the Tinta de

Toro, which is aromatically more inclined towards berries and black fruits and

whose tannins are more noticeable.

OUR WINES

Villano

Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo

Average annual production: 60.000

Villano is a full bodied, fruit forward wine that faithfully reflects

its Zamoran origins while also being surprisingly sildy and

fresh. It has the vivacity and energy of our younger vineyards

and combines it with the wisdom and cunning

mischievousness that only age lends to our older vines. Its

Zamoran heritage blends the exuberance of the Tinta de Toro

grapes with the finesse of the terroir of the D. O. Tierra del

Vino de Zamora. It truly is an enchanting Villano.

RATINGS

WINE SPECTATOR 2014

VILLANO 2012

89 ptos.

WINE CELLAR- STEPHEN TANZER 2014

90 ptos.

VILLANO 2013

GUÍA PEÑÍN 2016 91 ptos.

Venta Mazarrón

Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo

Aging: 8 months in oak barriques

Average annual production: 90.000

Venta Mazarrón is intense and approachable in style. It has an excellent

fruity and tannic concentration and is an excellent example of the

elegance of the wines produced from our regions “young vineyards” that

have an averae age of 40 years. In other parts of Spain these vineyards

would actually be considered “old”.

GUÍA PEÑÍN 2014

2011

WINE CELLAR- STEPHEN TANZER 2014

90ptos

93ptos

2012

93ptos GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015

2013

91ptos GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015

Vía Cenit

Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo

Aging: 12 months in french oak barriques

Average annual production: 14.000

Vía Cenit is born from a selection of pre-phylloxeric vineyards that

are between 80 and 100 years old. The area where his winery is

found is famous for its numerous minuscule vineyards plots with a

wide array of soil profiles and terrains with varying exposures to

the sun. The intense aromatic expression of these grapes is

packed with ripe fruits and sweet spices with hints of clove,

nutmeg and cinnamon. It is a rich and rounded wine with very

finely polished tannins.

2011

90 ptos WINE SPECTATOR 2014

GUÍA PEÑÍN 2014 93 ptos

94 ptos

2010

GUÍA PEÑÍN 2013

92 ptos

2012

STEPHEN TANZER 2014

GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015

93 ptos

2013

GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015

91 ptos

Cenit

Grape variety: 100% Tempranillo

Aging: 18 months in french oak barriques (100% new)

Average annual production: 9.000-10.000

Cenit is a selection of pre-phyloxeric Tempranillo (known in

this región as Tinta Madrid) vineyards that are aged

between 120 and 150 years old. The grapes from these

ancient vineyards are characterized by their thick skins

that allow us to extract a wide array of complex aromas

and flavours while giving us a high tannic concentration

that give Cenit a silky mouthfeel and an exceptionally

elegant personality.

CENIT 2009

94ptos GUÍA PEÑIN 2014

WINE ADVOCATE 96-98ptos

WINE ADVOCATE

CENIT 2006

90 ptos

WINE ADVOCATE

CENIT 2008

93ptos

GUÍA PEÑIN 2013

STEPHEN TANZER

95 ptos

94 ptos

STEPHEN TANZER 2014

CENIT 2010

92 ptos

GUÍA PEÑÍN 2015 95 ptos

CENIT 2011

GUÍA PEÑÍN 2016 93 ptos