[Akyeong Wine Cellar] The Finest Rioja Wine... The Great 'Mariage' of Two Families

<7> Spain's 'Macan'

A Collaborative Wine by Vega Sicilia and Rothschild Family
United to Aim for Top-Grade Rioja Wine
Enhancing Grape Concentration through Production Control

Editor's NoteThere is no wine under the sky that is the same. Even if grapes grown on the same land every year are brewed and aged in the same way, the results differ each time. Wine is a 'drink of chance' created by the harmony of humans and nature. Wines that silently disappear after leaving only a single intense memory all carry fascinating stories. 'Akyung Wine Cellar' shares one by one the stories of wines that are brewed and matured according to their unique circumstances.

Cantabria Mountains viewed from the Macan Winery.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

On July 21, 1913, Czech novelist Franz Kafka pondered marriage with his then lover Felice Bauer, confessing in his diary that he could not endure life's hardships alone. He admitted he could not withstand the attacks life imposes or the burdens demanded of him alone, nor could he bear to grow old enduring time by himself. However, Kafka ultimately did not marry Bauer due to a fear of boundaries breaking down. His fear of becoming an indistinct single entity outweighed the positive expectation that two different people would join forces to endure life's storms together through marriage.

Lebanese writer Kahlil Gibran was also aware of Kafka's concerns. However, in his work The Prophet, he wrote, "Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping." This means that a noble and great union is only possible when mutual distance is respected.

The French word for marriage or union, mariage, is frequently used in connection with wine. It commonly refers to the harmony between alcohol and food, especially between wine and food. True to its etymology, there is a winery that showcases excellent results through the marriage of two families. This place is 'Macan' in the Rioja region of Spain, where two distinct entities meet without becoming an indistinct single body, respecting each other's distance and carefully crafting wines that clearly embody their mutual expectations and desires.

'Macan' winery located in the Rioja region of Spain.

A Collaborative Wine by Vega Sicilia and the Rothschild Family

Macan began 20 years ago. In 2004, Benjamin de Rothschild, owner of Chateau Clarke winery in the Listrac-Medoc region of Bordeaux, France, met Pablo Alvarez Mezquiriz, owner of Vega Sicilia, Spain's representative winery.

Benjamin, from the globally renowned Rothschild financial family, asked Pablo, who operated four wineries in different regions, about his next project. Based in Ribera del Duero, Pablo replied that his dream was to produce the best wine in Rioja, Spain's premier wine region. Benjamin, who was interested in Rioja's terroir, was convinced that combining the capital and winemaking expertise of both families could make the dream of the 'best Rioja wine' a reality.

Entrance view of Makan Winery.
Photo by Koo Eun-mo

After confirming their intentions, the two families quickly united. This was the beginning of Macan, a joint venture between two influential families from Spain and France. They split ownership equally and began by purchasing vineyards. Pablo and Benjamin's wife, Ariane de Rothschild, searched for the best vineyards in Rioja's subregions with optimal conditions for cultivating Tempranillo grapes. They eventually acquired about 100 hectares of vineyards comprising 176 plots centered around San Vicente de la Sonsierra.

After years of research and development following the vineyard acquisition, Macan decided to produce its first vintage wine in 2009. Four years later, in 2013, 16,000 bottles of the 2009 vintage were released and sold out within three weeks, demonstrating the high interest in the union of the two families.

The Undisputed Heart of Spanish Wine, Rioja

Panoramic view of the 'Macan' vineyard.

Rioja is a region spread along the Ebro River basin in northern Spain and is considered Spain's premier wine-producing area. In 1925, Rioja was the first region in Spain to receive the DO (Denominacion de Origen) designation, the Spanish government's wine classification. In 1991, it was elevated to DOCa (Denominacion de Origen Calificada), the highest classification, leading the Spanish wine industry.

Rioja is divided into three major production zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental. Rioja Alta, located upstream along the Ebro River in the western part of Rioja, has the highest elevation among the three, ranging from 500 to 800 meters, allowing grapes a longer growing cycle. Wines from this area are characterized by rich fruit flavors. More than half of Rioja's wines are produced here, and it is home to many traditional top producers.

Rioja Alavesa lies on the northern bank of the Ebro River and is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. However, the Cantabria Mountains to the northwest protect the vineyards from cool and humid winds. The climate and soil are generally similar to Rioja Alta, but wines from Rioja Alavesa tend to have more weight compared to those from Rioja Alta. Lastly, Rioja Oriental, located downstream along the Ebro River in the east, is the lowest in elevation among the three zones and experiences a Mediterranean climate, making it the warmest and driest area. Due to these climatic differences, while the first two regions focus on Tempranillo production, Garnacha Tinta is primarily cultivated in Rioja Oriental.

A panoramic view of the Makhan vineyard spread out beneath the Cantabria mountain range.
[Photo by Koo Eun-mo]

"Controlling Yield to Enhance Fruit Concentration"

Among these, 'La Canoca' in Rioja Alavesa is one of Macan's top vineyards and exemplifies Macan's grape-growing philosophy. Situated around 700 meters above sea level, La Canoca cultivates old vines averaging 50 years in age. Old vines produce lower yields compared to younger vines but absorb various minerals from the soil through their deep roots, imparting complexity to the wine.

Macan improves grape quality by controlling the yield of old vines. Typically, vineyards in Rioja harvest about 6,500 kg of grapes per hectare. However, Macan reduces production to 4,000 kg per hectare to increase fruit concentration and tannin content. Jaime Lopez-Amor, Macan's vineyard manager, explained, "Without limiting yield, grape berries tend to be small with less juice, higher acidity, and aromas dominated by green, grassy notes." He added, "Tannins also become harsher with higher yields, which is contrary to Macan's goal of smooth tannins, so we focus on yield control."

Yield control is achieved through pruning, leaving only five branches per vine. Since the goal is to produce top-quality wines, all vineyard work, including pruning, is done by hand. Lopez-Amor proudly stated, "If you look at the pruning marks, they are all similar in size and spacing, which shows how meticulously the vineyard is managed." Harvesting is also manual, with grapes carefully placed in small 12 kg containers to prevent crushing during picking, transport, and storage before being taken to the winery.

Jaime Lopez-Amor, the person in charge of Macan Vineyard, is explaining about the 'La Canoca' Vineyard.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

Old vines of the 'La Canoca' vineyard, meticulously pruned.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

"Together Yet Separate" ? The Great Union of Two Families, Macan

Since Macan was born from the union of Spanish and French Bordeaux families, the project initially aimed for Bordeaux-style wines. Following Bordeaux winery tradition, Macan produces two wines: the main wine 'Macan' and the second wine 'Macan Clasico.' However, unlike Bordeaux, which blends grape varieties to find the optimal balance each year, both Macan wines are made from 100% Tempranillo, a native Spanish grape variety.

The grapes used for Macan and Macan Clasico are distinguished through genetic research analyzing soil minerals, geological structure, and moisture retention. Grapes grown in higher-altitude areas near the Cantabria Mountains, like La Canoca, go into Macan, while grapes from lower-altitude areas near the Ebro River are used for Macan Clasico. Horacio Vasallo, Macan's export manager, explained, "Grapes from mountainous areas tend to emphasize minerals, whereas those from river areas highlight fruit aromas."

Macan Winery's signature wine 'Macan'
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

The two wines also differ in their winemaking processes. Macan, aiming for a classic style, undergoes alcoholic fermentation in oak barrels, while Macan Clasico ferments in stainless steel tanks to preserve the grape's natural fruit aromas. Both wines ferment for about 10 to 12 days in large 10,000-liter tanks. During malolactic fermentation, Macan Clasico continues in steel tanks, whereas Macan undergoes 1 to 2 months of fermentation with 30% in new oak barrels and 70% in steel tanks.

This difference continues into aging. Macan typically ages for 14 to 16 months in French oak barrels, with a 70:30 ratio of new to used oak. Macan Clasico uses a mix of four aging methods depending on the vintage: 4,000-liter foudres (large oak vats), new French oak barrels, oak barrels previously used for Macan, and American oak barrels. After barrel aging, Macan undergoes 3 years of bottle aging, while Macan Clasico ages for 2 years.

A 10,000-liter oak tank where the alcoholic fermentation of Makhan takes place.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

Although Macan was created through the union of the Rothschild and Alvarez families, winemaking is entirely managed by the Alvarez family. This prevents the boundaries from blurring and producing ambiguous wines. Consequently, Macan's wines distinctly carry the DNA of Vega Sicilia, known for its excellent aging potential. However, they do not simply replicate Vega Sicilia's successful formula. Initially, all wines were aged in oak barrels, producing wines with strong oak aromas and flavors, but over time, the proportion of oak aging has been reduced to soften the oak nuances.

Vasallo explained, "Ribera del Duero, Vega Sicilia's birthplace, experiences higher temperatures and greater temperature fluctuations, whereas Rioja has a cooler and more stable climate. Applying Ribera del Duero's aging methods directly would result in rougher, more monotonous wines and diverge from current winemaking trends. Therefore, we gradually improve the process to suit the region's characteristics." Rather than making all decisions by consensus, respecting each other's domains and styles while maintaining a certain distance has ultimately led to wine production that satisfies everyone. We hope the great union of the Rothschild and Alvarez families continues for many years beyond 20.

A view of the oak barrel aging room at Makan Winery.
Photo by Gu Eunmo