Each bottle of wine from our DEMUERTE saga has its origin in the land of Yecla, the area where the Monastrell grape grows and develops. A unique space in which each of the grape berries synthesizes the best of the soil and climate of the area, offering wines of high quality and unique flavour.
Yecla, the land of the Monastrell grape
As the heat intensifies and the vineyards prepare for another year of exceptional quality, in Yecla you can breathe Monastrell in every corner of the area. This region has the perfect climate and soil for this grape variety to show its maximum splendour. That is why we can safely say that there is no better place in the world for the Monastrell grape to offer its best. So that it can produce spectacular wines with beautiful ruby colours, delicious red fruit aromas and silky smooth palates. Hence the wines made from the Monastrell grape in Yecla are some of the most sought after and admired in the world.
A wine region since ancient times
With a rich winemaking tradition dating back to the Phoenicians and Romans, Yecla stands as an epicentre of wine production in the area. Since the 8th century, when the Arabs found abundant vineyards in these lands, a history was set in motion that continues today.
After the Arabs took over, wine production was consolidated in the 16th century with the designation of Yecla as Bodega Mayor in wine production, as recorded in the chronicles of Felipe II. However, it was not until the 19th century, with the arrival of French merchants to the area, that the vineyards underwent a significant expansion, occupying all of its current territory.
Its own Designation of Origin
The Denomination of Origin (D.O.) Yecla, located between 535 and 800 metres above sea level, stands out for the diversity of wine styles it authorises, although it places special emphasis on reds, whose base is the Monastrell variety, either alone or accompanied by other authorised grape varieties such as Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
The wines of Yecla, under the D.O., are renowned for their balance, aromatic intensity and fruit concentration. Therefore, both young and aged wines are distinguished by their purplish cherry colour with garnet tones, balsamic, spicy, mineral and red fruit aromas. On the palate, the wines of this Denomination of Origin are described as fleshy, warm, tannic and smooth, standing out for their balance and great extract, characteristics imprinted by the Monastrell grape in this land.
Yecla’s soil variety
The soil of Yecla is of the limestone type, with a thick subsoil of carbonates and a sandy surface with clay formations, which contributes to the quality of the Yecla vineyards.
The Mediterranean-continentalised climate, with long, cold winters, hot summers and a high temperature oscillation, provides ideal conditions for grape ripening. The hours of sunshine, with an average of 3,385 hours per year, and the low rainfall, around 300 millimetres per year, complete the unique climatic profile of the region.
Monastrell, emblematic variety
The Monastrell grape is the emblematic variety of Yecla, being practically a monoculture on almost all of its land.
This grape variety, of Spanish origin, is characterised by its delicate cultivation, its taste for light, deep and well-drained soils with limestone. It is a grape capable of withstanding periods of drought, which is why it produces wines with intense colours, expressive and fruity on the nose, lively tannins on the palate and great structure, reaching its varietal potential from 13 degrees.
DEMUERTE in Yecla
With all this, DEMUERTE wines, produced by Pablo Cortés at Bodegas Barahonda, occupy a prominent place in the Yecla wine scene. Recognised worldwide, DEMUERTE wines stand out for their elegant and innovative design, combining quality and aesthetics.
It should also be added that the DEMUERTE saga is made up of seven wines, all featuring Monastrell grapes, which have won awards and recognition all over the world. This has led them to consolidate their position as a prestigious reference point for Yecla and the region’s winemaking tradition.
