Marques de Griñon

Marqués de Griñón has earned a permanent place in Spanish history.

Marqués de Griñón - princely Vino de Pago wine from Toledo

Not only because of a tryst with king and princes in the family's history, which dates back to the 13th century, but above all because of the innovative viticulture that Carlos Falcós is pushing in his winery Dominio de Valdepusa. New grape varieties, the first Vino de Pago in Spain, the latest cultivation methods - at Marqués de Griñón near Toledo, significant traditions are preserved, but state-of-the-art wines with strong character are pressed.

The viticulture at Marqués de Griñón

The Marqués de Griñón family winery is located in Malpica de Tajo in the heart of Spain and is managed by Carlos Falcós. Together with winemaker Julio López Mourelle, he conjures up internationally acclaimed wines here. The soils of the Griñón sites, which include the estate's own D.O. Domino de Valdepusa belongs, are mostly limestone soils. On a vineyard area of 52 hectares, international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot are cultivated, but also the lesser-known grape variety Petit Verdot, which gives the wines from the Marqués de Griñón estate a very special character. The wines of the estate are aged in about 1000 wooden barrels of French oak, which are located in the air-conditioned barrique cellar.

Innovations in Spanish viticulture

The Dominio de Valdepusa estate has been owned by the noble Marqués de Griñón family since 1292, but it was not until 1974 that Carlos Falcó transformed the lands into a winery. From the beginning, the winery was oriented towards innovative cultivation methods, so that Marqués de Griñón emerged as a pioneer of drip irrigation for vines. At the same time, the first vines of the French variety Cabernet Sauvignon were planted in the region. With the construction of the first air-conditioned aging cellar in 1989, the winery expanded its capacity and was immediately able to cultivate the first Syrah vines in Spain. In 1992, Marqués de Griñón rounded out its portfolio of vines with the addition of Petit Verdot, the third French grape variety. Other future-proof cultivation methods, such as Smart Dyson tillage or electronic sensors to check soil and moisture, spurred the cultivation of the best grapes.

Dominio de Valdepusa and El Rincón

Behind the Marqués de Griñón winery are two estates where wines are vinified on different soil conditions. Dominio de Valdepusa has been active as a winery since 1974, while El Rincón was inherited by Carlos Falcós in 1994. The philosophy and cultivation methods are congruent, yet the two wineries differ in their specific characteristics.

Dominio de Valdepusa

• near Toledo in the region of Castilla la Mancha
• about 52 hectares of vineyards
• Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Graciano, Merlot
• Clay soils with deep limestone layers
• continental climate

Vino de Pago

• El Rincón
• near Madrid
• about 9 hectares at up to 485 meters above sea level
• Syrah, Garnacha
• Granite and sandy soils with layers of quartz and clay
• mediterranean climate
• D.O. Vinos de Madrid

Vino de Pago from Marqués de Griñón

Pago in Spanish describes a piece of land, often a vineyard or olive grove, with a special character that is later reflected in the wine or olive oil. A Pago is comparable to the French Cru or the German Einzellage, which is usually not far from the winery. This offers the winemakers short distances from the vineyard to the cellar. The products from the pagos are palpable in taste, as the microclimate, soils, grape variety and cultivation method clearly show up in the wine. Thus, it was obvious to Carlos Falcós that these pagos must be protected and regulated by law. After several motions and hearings led by Carlos Falcós, the Spanish Parliament decided to introduce the Vino de Pago. Shortly thereafter, the Marqués de Griñón winery became the first to receive the Vino de Pago designation for its Dominio de Valdepusa estate, of which there are currently only 18 in all of Spain. Terroir is everything - you can taste and feel that with the wines of Marqués de Griñón.