The greatest wine region you have never heard of
I am sitting at Alex’s swish new table in the York Wines office with Felix Coloma. He has put five glasses in front of me, and we are chatting about my university days in Seville drinking Scotch and his senior school year in Upstate New York learning about wine. Needless to say, he put his education to better use. Having initially trained as a lawyer, he is now one third of the Coloma family team, working as their export manager, with sisters Amelia and Helena the winemaker and estate manager respectively.
Bodegas Coloma is located on the rocky banks of the river Guadiana, near Badajoz, just a few miles from Spain’s border with Portugal. Draw a line due east from Lisbon, keep going until you reach the cartographical divide and you will not be far off. This is La Raya (‘The Line’ in English), the border lands of the Iberian Peninsula that share much heritage; consider that Coloma grow Portugal’s starlet red variety, Touriga Nacional, with great success. Geographically part of a granitic plateau situated at a medium altitude of three-hundred metres, the estate offers useful perks for the viticulturist. The meagre, free-draining soils restrict vigour, encouraging low yields of wonderfully expressive fruit. There is also a monumental diurnal temperature range: habitual summer highs (well into the forties) dip into the teens at night. It is not the easiest place to make wine given the extreme heat, but there is the potential here for both lively acidity and perfect ripeness.
This is the sticky heart of Extremadura, a region better known for its hams: soft, sweet, and not too fibrous (the result of Iberian pigs fed on a diet of local acorns). If Felix has come on a sales drive, however, he is not forcing the issue. He is letting his wine, humble Vino de la Tierra de Extremadura, do the talking. There is a DO, Ribera del Guadiana, but it must be the Pécharmant of Spain – greatness left trailing in the wake of hitherto more exportable stars. In any case, Coloma lies just outside. Expansive and sparsely populated, Extremadura is far enough from the madding crowd to draw much adulation from the wine world, although at one hundred and fifty miles from the sea, Coloma benefits greatly from low humidity, allowing Amelia to grow Graciano – the Riojan favourite so often thwarted by mildew – to notable acclaim. I love Graciano and I love the Evandria Imperialis 2019 in front of me. Post facto, I discover that Jancis Robinson describes it as such: ‘Sweet fruited but fresh and fragrant. Full-bodied with an attractively dry finesse at the very end that I had not expected. 16.5/20’ That is a terrific score from someone who has rated more wines than I have spent evenings chasing deadlines.
Of course, there is more. I swoon over the Evandria Garnacha Seleccion 2018. This is actually made from Garnacha Tintorera, a teinturier (of red juice) popular during the early twentieth century for its colourant properties but since relegated to the doldrums for a tendency to quickly oxidise. Felix explains why it works at Coloma: ‘The low humidity helps, as it is very prone to both powdery and downy mildew. The poor soils also limit yields, concentrating the grape’s polyphenols and building in resistance to oxidation, therefore increasing the ageing potential. Garnacha Tintorera gets better as the vines get older but rarely gets the chance to show its true colours.’
His whites are equally impressive. The Evandria Muscat Seco 2023 is a veritable peach of a sipper, camomile and William’s pear flavours giving off serious summer vibes. It is dry and would pair beautifully with a Greek salad. Evandria Sinfonia de Blancos 2022, meanwhile, combines hints of creamy stone fruit with grapefruit and beguiling blossoms.
A word on Finca El Colmenar 2016. A special wine, this is the original name for the estate and means ‘beehive manor’. I cannot tell you its exact composition and nor can Felix, as it is a field blend made from the best performing parcels, a nod to the presence of vines here for a half century. That said, it is approximately 50% Touriga Nacional, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, plus other full-bodied varieties including Petit Verdot and Merlot. Aged for twelve months in American new oak, if you like Ribera del Duero (or Bordeaux and hanker after something a little riper), give it a try.
Parallel to their first vintage, the family revived the estate practice of beekeeping, planting wild flowers for bees to gather pollen, part of a concerted effort to protect the local flora and fauna. Their many other sustainable practices include the production of organic compost from grape pomace, a reduced use of machinery (to avoid excessive soil compaction), and, in the winery, a gravity-fed filtration system. Their focus is also very much on indigenous yeasts, which carry a signature local flavour.
Some wineries have a natural bent and do not quite hit the mark; the Coloma family’s efforts truly translate into exceptional wines. If you are able to visit, be amazed by the cutting-edge design of their winery, made from granite, built in the style of a Castillo, and bedecked in wild vines – a stunning centrepiece to match any in Spain.
What strikes me about Felix’s wines is how remarkably consistent they are. Back at Alex’s table, I am getting giddy on their harmony. If, as I suspect, this becomes your introduction to Extremaduran wine, then it will set the bar very high. I would take them all in a heartbeat (just as well – they are already shipped!).
Felix Coloma will be presenting a trio of events at Ambiente restaurants on 6th, 7th, and 9th February. For bookings, please see: Meet the Winemaker Tasting Experience: Felix Coloma.