Ignoring any potential distraction of schoolboy humour associated with a name (pronounced ‘pon-thay’, seeing as you asked...), we should instead focus on Juan Antonio being a leading figure in natural winemaking in the lesser known Manchuela region. Having spent time learning techniques whilst working on a number of projects, notably in Spain, but also in France, these have since been applied to his own family winery, which began life in 2005. Focussed on the local Bobal grape, in addition to varieties such as Albilla, these vineyards sit at high altitude for the area, and his vines are between 30 and 90 years old. Generally speaking, these local grapes benefit from the region’s high elevation and good aeration.
Much like our other Spanish producers, Juan Antonio has become emblematic of a modern style of winemaking, where the focus is on creating wines that embody local terroir. Influenced by the natural wine movement, and unlikely the majority of volume wines, his vino efforts deliver plenty of character and represent top quality Spanish wines. With plans to expand his land under vine, we are excited to see what comes next.