Mariano Garcia is a name of the utmost importance in the Spanish wine world, and it is fair to say that he is an unparalleled oenological legend. He worked for the Spanish icon Vega Sicilia for 30 years and was responsible for the legendary Unico for many years. That alone is a lifetime achievement, and that at a time when the Ribera del Duero region was still completely unknown and Vega Sicilia was more or less working alone in the field, flying the flag for world-class and cult wines. But then the desire to produce his own wine gained the upper hand, and so in 1978 he began to build up his own winery near the village of Tudela del Duero, along with the associated paellas. Unfortunately, the boundaries of the newly created DO Ribera del Duero were drawn in 1982 in such a way that the winery was excluded. Of course, this doesn't bother Mariano Garcia, because with such a prestigious name, the wines would sell just as well. The reality proves him right! Today, the bodega cultivates 45 hectares, planted with Tempranillo, Garnacha and Syrah. These varieties provide the basis for the wine that is simply named after the bodega - Mauro. In winemaking, he relies on the practices that have already propelled Vega Sicilia into cult status: late harvesting of fully ripe grapes, longer extraction and maceration periods followed by ageing in French oak. The fact that Garcia's wines are only marketed as country wines is not really a problem. The Mauro and the "Mauro Vendemnia Seleccionada", which is only produced in excellent years, are among the most sought-after wines in Spain. The "Terreus", a pure Tempranillo from the small single vineyard "Paraja de Cueva Baja" is one of the very best wines in Spain and has long enjoyed that magical cult status, regularly scratching the magical 100-point mark in international ratings. The Godello that Mariano Garcia produces in Bierzo is also extremely remarkable.
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