Bodegas Cinco Leguas “La Maldición” Tinto Fino 2023

Tempranillo from just outside of Madrid. Marc Isart's winery is called Cinco Leguas (Five Leagues) because in centuries past, any wines produced within five leagues of Madrid were destined to be served in the royal courts.

Biodynamic trendsetter Marc Isart braves the challenges of rocky, high-altitude vineyards outside Madrid, championing an old-school style in his fresh, complex renditions of Tempranillo and Malvar. Isart named his label “La Maldición” which translates to “The Curse,” an allusion to the intense struggle that farming this rough terrain presents. It’s rocky, secluded, and surrounded by cliffs and canyons—and for all that work, the old bush-trained vines sitting more than 700 meters up offer only tiny yields as a reward.

With those yields, Isart seeks to recover the tradition he says the region lost in the 90s with the arrival of modern Bordelaise winemaking techniques in Spain. He employs indiginous yeasts, whole-cluster fermentations, long macerations, and large-format used oak aging to deliver freshness and complexity in his single-variety Tempranillos and Malvars, as well as a co-fermented blend of the two.

85% Tempranillo, 15% Malvar.