05 Feb 2021 Exceptional tasting of Alicante DOP Fondillones by Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW
Pedro Ballesteros Torres, renowned and the first Spanish Master of Wine, has carried out a new tasting within the online training channel of Vinos Alicante DOP known as “Terreta Wine Academy”. On this occasion, the theme focuses on the award-winning and unique wines of the appellation – the Fondillones.
Ballesteros chooses and tastes 5 references from his home in Brussels, first taking viewers on a historical tour, reviewing the region and speaking in educational terms about the elaboration of these wines. Showing both admiration and respect, he affectionately refers to the winemakers as “the heroes of Fondillón”, by keeping this centuries-old tradition alive. The references tasted are: “Francisco Gómez Fondillón Solera 1988” by Bodegas Francisco Gómez, “Luis XIV Fondillón 50 Years” by Bodegas Fondillón Luis XIV, the awarded and named Best Wine of Spain 2020 “Brotons Gran Reserva Fondillón 1964” by Bodegas Brotons, “ Primitivo Quiles Fondillón Solera 1948” from Bodegas Primitivo Quiles and “MG Wines Fondillón Special Edition 1930” from MG Wines Group.
In the tasting he makes it clear, almost poetically, that Fondillón is a “memorable” and “emotional” wine and that “I would not like it to change, because it is a real pleasure for people like us – wine lovers – who love the things that take a long time to be appreciated”.
Pedro Ballesteros is an Agronomist, Master in Viticulture and Enology, obtained the WSET Diploma with distinction and received the Master of Wine degree on his first attempt in 2010. He writes for the most prestigious wine publications and is a member of the Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino among other honors. He works in 4 different languages, and on this occasion, the tasting has been carried out in English, with subtitles in Spanish, in order to bring – according to the DO – the history of this unique wine to all corners of the world.
The tasting can be seen, along with other tastings carried out by leading figures in the world of wine, in the Academy/Online Wine Tastings section of the Vinos Alicante DOP website.
