Pago Florentino is one of Spain's estate-specific Vino de Pago appellations. The estate is near Malagon, a small municipality in the Ciudad Real province. It lies just 93 miles (150km) south of Spain's capital, Madrid. Two other VPs, Dehesa del Carrizal and Casa del Blanco, are nearby in the same province. Pago Florentino is unusual in that is specializes not only in red wine, but just a single variety, Cencibel (Tempranillo).
The estate was established in 1997 when Florentino Arzuaga came to the area, drawn by his love of olives, in particular the Cornicabra variety, which is native to the Montes de Toledo area. He bought 370 acres (150ha). In search of more land suited to growing distinctive olives, Arzuaga stumbled across a parcel which he believed was ideal for growing vines. Finca la Solana, as it is called, supplies all the grapes for Pago Florentino. The bodega (winery) sits at the heart of the finca (estate). The vineyard received its VP status in 2009.
Finca la Solana means 'estate (or farm) of the sunny spot'. The number of sunlight hours the vines receive on a daily basis is a distinguishing feature of the vineyard, thanks to its orientation. This abundance of sunshine right through the vines' vegatative cycle – and the lack of shade – allows grapes to fully ripen and develop. The land is also distinctive in that the estate rests at the foot of mountains and thus the vineyard sits on a hillside – ideal in terms of ventillation and maximising sunshine. The soils are made up of clay and granite and are rich in minerals, a characteristic that can be detected in the estate's wines.
Pago Florentino produces just one wine, a varietal Cencibel. It is aged in 225-liter barriques (new French oak is favored). The aging period varies from vintage to vintage depending on individual conditions. The wine receives no filtration or clarification. Unlike most wines of VP status, Pago Florentino recommends that its wine is drunk in its youth, while it is still fresh and full of appealing rich fruit character.
The Cencibel wine is simply labelled as Pago Florentino and is often described as powerful yet with balanced alcohol and acidity.
