Telmo Rodriguez and Pablo Eguzkiza met during their oenology studies at the University of Bordeaux. Telmo subsequently worked for several years at Cos d'Estournel, Petit Village, and Gérard Chave, among others. Pablo Eguzkiza worked under Jean Claude Berruet and was partly responsible for the wine at Petrus. After various travels, they both returned to Spain and founded the company Compañia de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez, which focuses on the production of quality wines in Spain. Since then, this company has grown into one of the most renowned producers in all of Spain. Molino Real is one of the very best dessert wines from Spain (and considering the price, we dare say that this wine pales in comparison to its French counterparts). The grapes are hand-picked, after which they undergo wood aging for at least 20 months in small wooden barrels. In the glass, this Molino Real is golden yellow. On the nose, we detect notes of honey and ripe pear. On the palate, tropical fruit, soft spices, and very subtle, beautifully interwoven wood notes. The wine is pleasantly sweet yet fresh, and this is what makes a dessert wine truly good, so we completely understand why this wine always receives very high ratings. This wine was not released until mid-2024. FUN FACT: The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to pick up the wine, you will also receive a nice discount. We are located almost next to the main road with ample parking. Click here for the address. Telmo Rodriguez: Winemaker Telmo Rodriguez is hailed as one of the young lions of the Spanish wine industry. He studied at the University of Bordeaux and later in the Rhône under the famous August Clape. He was the winemaker at La Granja Senora de Remelluri, his father's bodega in Rioja. He left there to become, as some would call it, a "flying winemaker." However, Telmo prefers to call himself a "driving winemaker." He lives in Madrid and drives to the regions where he makes wine. In a short time, his wines have found a place on the international stage. One example: in Tom Stevenson's 2008 Wine Report, Telmo was included among the top 10 producers from Spain. Characteristic of Telmo is his choice of indigenous grape varieties, which are also pruned in an indigenous way. This means that he works exclusively with 'bush-vines,' or vines that are not guided along wires but grow as independent bushes. The bushes are also spaced further apart than with wire guidance. In warm Spain, this has two advantages: every bush finds sufficient moisture, even in dry vintages, and the bunches hang in the shade of their own leaves, so they are less 'stewed.' Telmo prefers working with old vines so that the roots sit deep to find moisture. This also benefits the quality of the grapes. Old vines yield a lower harvest, but the grapes are of high quality and complexity. Although not formally certified, Telmo works organically: he uses no artificial fertilizers or insecticides/pesticides. In 2002, Telmo Rodriguez, the likeable Spanish superstar, acquired several hectares of very old terraced vineyards in the hills of Valdeorras in Galicia, in the far northwest of Spain. The grapes planted here are the white Godello and the red Mencia. These are local varieties that feel particularly at home here in this relatively cool and humid climate and, if properly cared for, can produce particularly fascinating and beautiful wines. During the first few years, hard work was done to restore the somewhat dilapidated vineyards to good condition. The entire harvests were sold to the local cooperative. The 2004 harvest marked the actual introduction of the Godello, and Telmo waited even two years longer with the red Mencia. The wines owe their name to the river Xil, which meanders through the vineyards here. Both wines are remarkably successful. The relatively cool climate yields two particularly elegant, aromatic, and refined wines