Chozas Carrascal is one of Spain's prestigious Vino de Pago winery estates. This pioneering vineyard rose to VP status in 2012, only the second in Utiel-Requena to do so, after Pago de Los Balagueses. Chozas Carrascal is located in the Valencia region, in Spain's Mediterranean east. The closest town to the estate is San Antonio de Requena, which sits just 44 miles (70km) directly west of lively Valencia, the regional capital and Spain's third largest city. Chozas means 'huts' in Valencian (Catalan), the local tongue, but in the estate's name it actually refers to the owner's grandfather. Carrascal is a reference to the oak trees that used to be common here.
Winemaking on the site dates back to the late 19th Century, a discovery made by the López-Peidro family when they were renovating the winery building. It is possible that winemaking nearby has taken place since Ancient Roman times, thanks to its strategic positioning close to the Mediterranean Sea.
Chozas Carrascal was planted in 1992 but its first product was not launched until 2003. In the intervening years, the family traveled frequently to prestigous estates elsewhere in Spain and in France, which inspired their "château's" approach. The estate has strived to combine modernity and tradition.
A number of factors combine to create the special conditions at Chozas Carrascal. The estate sits at 2295ft (700m) above sea level, approximately 40 miles (65km) from the coast. Despite its proximity to the sea, the climate is decidedly continental, making for hot summers, cold winters and large diurnal temperature variations. The estate's dry setting is somewhat offset by its limestone-rich soils, which importantly retain moisture. Harvest takes place at daybreak in order to retain freshness in the grapes, and as the bodega (winery) is onsite, their time in transit is minimal and they are delivered at their best. Winemaking is a delicate process here; a rubber-fingered de-stemmer is used to reduce damage to the fruit and a soft pumping-over (remontage) technique is used daily, again to avoid berry damage.
True to its VP label, Chozas Carrascal has been daring in its approach to planting. Firstly, it planted its vines at a density of 1,335 an acre (3,300 a hectare), far denser than any other vineyards nearby. This forces vines to compete for water and nutrients and drives yields down. The estate was also pioneering in its choice of grapes; it introduced Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc to the area, for example, and these have now been authorized for use by the Utiel-Requena DO. Chozas Carrascal's approach is also unique in that it has planted 12 varieties, each with less than 7.4 acres (3ha). Apart from its 100% Cabernet Franc wine, Chozas Carrascal has largely shunned the trend of producing varietal wines, instead opting for complex blends of up to eight varieties. The estate has also championed the native Bobal variety, and boasts some 100-year-old vines.
The 99-acre (40-ha) estate produces mostly red wines, including a dulce (sweet) style made exclusively from Garnacha. It also puts out a rosado (rosé) blend and a white blend. All wines are typically intense and complex, with a distinctive mineral characteristic.
