# Bodega Cerrón Stratum Wines Matas Altas Tinto (2024)

- **Producer:** Bodega Cerrón
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Monastrell, Garnacha Tinto, Moravia Agria, Blanquilla, Forcallat, Rojal, Bobal
- **Region:** Murcia, Spain
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €22
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 15–17 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, raspberry, strawberry, white pepper, herbaceous

## About this wine

Bodega Cerrón is a pioneering multi-generational family estate founded in 1895 in the remote highlands of Fuente-Álamo. Today, the fourth generation of the Cerdán family—siblings Juanjo, Carlos, and Lucía—spearhead the estate. Historically, this high-altitude region was relegated to bulk wine production, and working the steep, wind-swept fields was so difficult that their grandfather advised them to leave. Instead, the siblings stayed to champion the region's forgotten heritage. Through their exploratory 'Stratum Wines' project, they have emerged as leaders in Spain's low-intervention viticulture movement, focusing on recovering ancient, ungrafted pre-phylloxera vineyards that others had abandoned.

## Interesting facts

- The wine is sourced from ancient bush vines planted between 1911 and 1967, many of which are ungrafted and pre-phylloxera.
- The Cerdán siblings defied their grandfather's advice to leave the brutal, wind-swept highlands, staying to rescue these forgotten vineyards.
- Matas Altas is crafted from 26 distinct high-altitude parcels situated between 840 and 940 meters above sea level on pure limestone soils.

## Food pairing

This wine's high acidity and precise, chalky tannins make it exceptionally food-friendly. It pairs beautifully with dishes that feature earthy elements like mushrooms, or savory fats found in lamb, pork, and cured charcuterie. The vibrant acidity cuts through rich textures, while the wine's mineral-driven profile complements roasted herbs and semi-hard cheeses without overpowering them.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Matas Altas Tinto is defined by minimal intervention and a focus on preserving terroir. Grapes are hand-harvested from 26 distinct high-altitude parcels and meticulously sorted. Spontaneous fermentation is carried out in open-top wooden vats and oak tuns using only indigenous yeasts. For the 2024 vintage, the must was fermented with 10% whole clusters to enhance aromatic definition and freshness. The wine was aged for approximately 11 to 12 months in large 8,000-liter oak foudres and used 500-liter French oak barrels. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered with only minimal sulfur additions at bottling.