The Cooperativa de Viver revives pre-phylloxera grapes from Alto Palancia with the wines ‘Ochenta y Siete Cubos’
The cooperative is launching a limited edition of 562 bottles made from native varieties recovered after a century of neglect
The Cooperativa de Viver has dusted off the Alto Palancia's wine-making memory with the launch of Ochenta y Siete Cubos Pampolat and Ochenta y Siete Cubos Morenillo, two wines that bring back native grapes destroyed by phylloxera in 1915. Presented on Monday at the Joaquín Schmidt Restaurant in Valencia, these wines—of which only 230 and 332 bottles exist, respectively—are the result of a ‘plant archaeology’ project that has brought together science, tradition and innovation to recover historic varieties such as Pampolat, Mondragón and Morenillo.
The name of the range pays tribute to the 87 stone wine presses that have shaped the wine-making identity of Viver since the 16th century. ‘These wines are a reflection of our heritage. We want Alto Palancia to be a benchmark for indigenous wines,’ said Fernando Marco, managing director of the cooperative, during the tasting attended by the media and industry professionals.
Science to revive history
The recovery of pre-phylloxera vines —documented in the early 20th century by agronomist Nicolás García de los Salmones— was made possible thanks to a network of institutional collaboration. The Centre for the Conservation and Improvement of Valencian Agrodiversity (COMAV) at the Polytechnic University of Valencia confirmed the identity of the varieties through genetic analysis, while the El Encín Vine Germplasm Bank (Madrid) carried out their ampelographic characterisation. Following this process, Pampolat and Mondragón were officially registered as wine grapes in the Valencian Community.
Craftsmanship in glass demijohns
The production, led by oenologists Pepe Mendoza and Maloles Blázquez (consultants at Uva Destino), opted for a minimalist approach: fermentation in steel tanks and ageing in 50-litre glass demijohns to ‘preserve the purity of the grapes’, grown in vineyards between 450 and 700 metres above sea level. The Ochenta y Siete Cubos Pampolat —a medium-bodied red with notes of rockrose, thyme and rodeno— and the Morenillo —with ruby tones and an aroma of wet earth— seek to capture the essence of the terroir. La Mondragón, still in the study phase, promises to expand the range in future vintages.
A project against oblivion
With this launch, the Cooperativa de Viver is not only rescuing varieties in danger of extinction, but also vindicating the role of small producers in the fight against depopulation. ‘It is a collective effort to revalue our history,’ insisted Marco. The bottles, which do not yet have an official price, will be sold in specialised outlets and through the cooperative itself, which is already planning to expand production.
While the Pampolat unfolds an ‘ethereal and honest’ profile on the palate and the Morenillo seduces with fine tannins and a harmonious finish, these wines are more than a tribute to the past: they are seeds to rejuvenate the wine-growing future of Alto Palancia.
by Enrique Forés Cortés | 14/04/2025 | ALTO PALANCIA, CULTURE, ECONOMY, FRONT PAGE, TOURISM, VIVER
Source: https://www.infopalancia.com/la-cooperativa-de-viver-resucita-uvas-prefiloxericas-del-alto-palancia-con-los-vinos-ochenta-y-siete-cubos/
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