Description
Más Que Vinos was founded in La Rioja in 1998 by three winemaker friends—Margarita Madrigal, Alexandra Schmedes, and Gonzalo Rodriguez. Recognizing the potential of the vineyards near Gonzalo’s hometown of Dosbarrios, they established their own winery project, rescuing old plots of indigenous grape varieties and transitioning to organic viticulture. They renovated the family winery, originally built in 1851, before constructing a modern facility in nearby Cabañas de Yepes in 2007. Today, Más Que Vinos owns the 35-hectare Finca Horcajo and farms an additional 35 hectares across Dosbarrios, Cabañas de Yepes, and Villarrubia. These vineyards lie in the Meseta de Ocaña, 60 kilometers east of Toledo, where local rabbits—and the extensive damage they cause—ultimately inspired the name Los Conejos Malditos, or “The Cursed Rabbits.”
The 2025 Los Conejos Malditos Tempranillo Carbónico is made from 100% Cencibel, the local clone of Tempranillo, grown at 750–800 meters on limestone and clay soils. The vineyards include both bush-trained and trellised vines averaging 50 years old. Cencibel is particularly well adapted to this harsh continental climate, producing smaller, more compact bunches with thicker skins that can withstand the region’s powerful winds. Winters are cold and dry, summers are hot, and the high elevation brings cool nights that encourage slow, even ripening. In the cellar, the grapes undergo spontaneous whole-cluster fermentation in small stainless-steel tanks, followed by pressing in the traditional method: the lighter free-flowing wine, known as lágrima, is released first, while the remaining grapes are gently pressed by their natural weight to yield the corazón, or “heart,” of the wine.
Fresh, fruit-driven, and lively, the 2025 Los Conejos Malditos Tempranillo Carbónico showcases the bright, expressive character of Cencibel. Aromas and flavors of ripe cherry and fresh red berries are complemented by delicate floral accents, while vibrant acidity gives the wine energy and lift. Its combination of juicy fruit, freshness, and distinctive character makes it an inviting expression of Tempranillo shaped by the high-altitude vineyards of the Meseta de Ocaña.
