Vino de Pago: When is a Pago not a Pago?

Europe’s myriad wine laws and classifications have probably left most of us, at least once, scratching our heads in confusion. And it’s quite probable that one more furrow was added to the brow when, in 2003, the DO Vino de Pago was introduced as a new official category in Spanish wine, parachuted in to sit at the very peak of the appellation pyramid, above the DOCa/DOQs of Rioja and Priorat. One consequence of the law was that it forbade any new winery from thereafter using the word ‘pago’ as part of its name – something many deemed a touch draconian as the word is an old, traditional Spanish term used to describe an estate or tract of land. To be a Vino de Pago, single estates must demonstrate unique characteristics, such as climate and soil, and that all grapes are estate grown and all wine bottled on the property. However, there are legally defined exceptions, which complicate matters. Furthermore, some voices argue that the regulations attached to this classification are not strictly adhered to by all members. There have long been grumblings that this new stratum is largely self-serving, driven by companies who wield significant power behind the scenes and who don’t particularly want to be associated with the DO where they are based. An additional bone of contention has been that many, although not all, of these estates produce wines using international grape varieties, or grapes not native to their region, which somewhat flies in the face of the notion of locality or terroir. Outside the classification Further muddying the waters is a private association called Grandes Pagos de España (GPdE), which has gained traction in recent years. GPdE is a select group of wineries located throughout Spain which began life in 2000 as Grandes Pagos de Castilla. The intent of the eight original members was to pool resources and promote the wines of Castilla y Léon and Castilla-La Mancha (its two founding fathers are Carlos Falcó, owner of Marqués de Griñon/Dominio de Valdepusa, and prominent Spanish journalist Victor de la Serna, proprietor of Finca Sandoval). However, in due course, producers from other regions also wanted to come on board, hence the name change and subsequent expansion. There have been accusations that GPdE is little more than a paid-up members’ club. There is indeed a fee to sign up, in addition to further annual charges; however, Falcó says this income is used to offset the cost of events and marketing, and that the group is run on a not-for-profit basis. Regardless, it can rightly claim to have some fine producers on its books, such as Mas Doix in Priorat, Vallegarcia in Castilla and Bodega Mustiguillo in Valencia (whose El Terrerazo estate picked up an International Trophy at last year’s Decanter World Wine Awards ). Written by Mark O'Halleron Vino de Pago: Rules and regulations Both Vino de Pago and GPdE have a raft of regulations that must be met by producers to secure membership. They are not mutually exclusive, though crossover is limited – there are 14 Vinos de Pago and 30 GPdE, and only six estates are members of both. In addition to these, Vinos de Pago also have to show that they have produced ‘exceptional’ wines for at least 10 years, which is rather subjective. Rules of entry for GPdE are blurred in a comparable manner: like Vino de Pago, successful applicants need to submit exhaustive studies of their vineyards, practices and philosophy – plus have their wines tasted by a committee to approve their quality. They also have to display a history of commercial success and critical approval, which you could argue is similarly subjective. The sheer reach of GPdE undeniably surpasses that of the government-stamped classification; for while the former can showcase wineries from Cava, Bierzo, Somontano, Rioja, Toro and more, the Vinos de Pago are located in just a handful of regions, Castilla-La Mancha being the dominant force. This is by virtue of the fact that although Vino de Pago has been given the go-ahead by the national government, it still needs to be ratified at regional level, and only a few areas have done so thus far. The reason for this, according to Decanter’s Spanish wine expert Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, is a lack of confidence or comfort in their home region: ‘I would say Vino de Pago only exists in those regions where producers are not proud of their classic appellations, such as Navarra, La Mancha and Valencia,’ he says. ‘Instead of fighting to raise the quality of their natural regions, producers and politicians preferred to invent a new legislative animal, unrelated to either terroir or tradition.’ Clearly both share common ground in the promotion of single-estate wines, but GPdE – unhindered by the shackles of governance – can offer a more inclusive and wider approach. Shared vision The implication is that GPdE is home to Spain’s most superlative producers, and yet there are some glaring absences, including Vega Sicilia, Pingus and L’Ermita. Such is their reputation that membership is hardly necessary and, in fairness, GPdE does not claim to be a one-stop shop for Spain’s finest. It does, however, regularly and proudly talk of its collective vision, which does have merit. Vino de Pago is trickier. While it is also dedicated to wineries which can demonstrate unique characters and whose wines are estate grown, the fact that they are held up as being superior to appellations with centuries of heritage is jarring and bemusing – even more so when they are isolated to only a few areas of Spain. Yet Toni Sarrion of Bodega Mustiguillo, who is amember of both groups through his estates El Terrerazo (a Vino de Pago as well as GPdE) and Finca Calvestra (GPdE), says they each have their advantages: ‘Vino de Pago means we are not restricted by the rigid rules of the DO, while GPdE helps promote the concept of Vino de Pago.’ Adolfo Hornos, general manager and winemaker at Vallegarcia (a GPdE member), also feels that while confusing, being part of both can be advantageous: ‘Being a Vino de Pago is positive as you are different and unique, but the downside is that you are on your own and nobody helps you. That’s where being with GPdE is beneficial – we are a strong, exclusive group of producers with a greater capacity to communicate externally. We’re also able to co-operate and share ideas and knowledge with fellow members.’ To an extent these systems chime with other European wine organisations or classifications such as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione in Italy, or VDP in Germany; however, neither are mirror images. While Gran Selezione wines are indeed estate wines, the scope with varieties is much more limited and there are other rules such as length of ageing; while the VDP has additional strictures in place such as minimum must weight, reduced yields and, significantly, the vineyards must contain a minimum of 80% traditional varieties. Spain’s best wines? The modern concept of the Pago is, on balance, an honourable one, particularly in terms of demanding (in theory) top-notch procedures in both vineyard and cellar. But confusion over the whole issue stems from the creation of the Vino de Pago classification and arbitrarily putting it at the apex of Spain’s wine rankings. This, compounded by its still limited geographical reach, suggests there is more than a whiff of politics in the air. Where both groups have value is that there are a number of quality-based hurdles that prospective members must negotiate before being accepted. Therefore, in theory, you should be buying a bottle that demonstrates an impressive level of class at the very least. Yet, a bottle emblazoned with either DO Vino de Pago or Grandes Pagos de España will not unequivocally guarantee that the wine is representative of the very best that Spanish winemaking has to offer. Consider this: Pingus is a single-estate wine, as is Vega Sicilia’s Unico, and one would assume that Peter Sisseck and Pablo Alvarez respectively are also stringent when it comes to their viticultural and winemaking methods. They belong to neither grouping and would no doubt have a few words to say about Vino de Pago apparently representing the very pinnacle of Spain’s winemaking excellence. Vino de Pago & Grandes Pagos de Espana estates

Vino de Pago & Grandes Pagos de Espana estates

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