MEET THE WINEMAKER: Exclusive Q&A with Elena Pacheco

Elena Pacheco is one of the most passionate, sincere and authentic (not to mention tenacious) individuals we work with. She is crafting truly spectacular and remarkably fresh wines in Jumilla from indigenous varieties in the face of increasing climate pressures in this hot, dry corner of Spain. A third-generation winemaker, she directs Viña Elena, supported by her family. In 2014, Elena partnered with consultant and wine distributor Isio Ramos to launch Bruma del Estrecho de Marin.

Elena was kind enough to take a little time away from her beloved vines to answer a few questions:

How did you get started in the world of wine?

I started helping my family in the agricultural and wine business. We are four sisters, and at one point, my father needed our help in the company. I didn't hesitate to leave the economics degree I was studying at the time and went to the winery to lend a hand with whatever was wanted. After that, everything else fell into place; the wine world is captivating, and once you start, you don't want to stop.

Could you tell us about the winery and vineyards?

Viña Elena is a family winery where we strive to highlight our native grape variety, Monastrell, and old ungrafted vineyards, some of them pre-phylloxera. These are dry-farmed vineyards with very low rainfall, but fortunately, they are on loam-sandy soils, very rocky, which drain well and retain moisture with those stones. We want to honour these vineyards despite the cultivation challenges they entail.

How would you describe your approach to viticulture?

Our main goal is to understand the grape, what we can do with it and identify the perfect moment to harvest. Additionally, we aim to locate soils that drain well, retain moisture, and have depth. Finally, we want to work on rootstocks and clones of grape varieties that maintain the area's typical characteristics and adapt well to this new scenario of drought and high temperatures in our region.

What is your winemaking philosophy?

Over time, we've learned not to follow trends but to focus on understanding our territory, our vineyards, our soil, and the vine's cycle. This means identifying the health and ripeness state of the grapes each year and then working with them in the winery as they deserve, with minimal or no intervention, allowing each grape variety to express itself.

Who has influenced your winemaking style the most?

Unfortunately, I haven't worked anywhere else outside the family winery, so my winemaking learning process has been a bit of trial and error. There are winemakers and viticulturists in our area whose work I respect and admire, but the person who has influenced me the most is my father, Paco Pacheco.

🔗Discover the wines of Viña Elena here.

What has surprised you about being a winemaker?

Realising that the more you think you know, the less you actually do. It is a continuous learning process; the world of wine is infinite.

What is it about Monastrell that makes it so exciting?

I believe it is the variety that sets us apart and is completely adapted to our territory. Even though we know it well, it surprises us every year and is my favourite variety to work with. After that, Garnacha Tinta, which is a subtle, elegant variety. Sometimes, with very simple fruit notes, but other times, you can find a lot of complexity.

If you could make wine anywhere else in the world, where would it be?

As we say here, “we want what we don't have”, so I'd love to make wine in a cold climate area with shorter vegetative cycle varieties. I’d happily go to Ribera Sacra or Germany.

If you had to recommend just one of your wines, what would it be and why?

It's difficult to choose, but if I had to recommend one, it would be the simplest and most straightforward wine we have, Bruma, Paraje Marín, because it is 100% Monastrell aged in concrete tanks from my grandfather's and father's winery. It is a wine that showcases the Monastrell fruit cleanly and honestly, with soft and mature tannins.

Could you tell us about your approach to sustainability?

We increasingly try to be more sustainable, with solar panels for electricity, have an appropriate circular economy, and respect our soil as much as possible, minimising pollution. All our vineyard cultivation is done entirely organically. Not biodynamically, but organically. We also consider corporate social responsibility, collaborating with various associations to impact our local community positively.

How has climate change impacted your winemaking?

There has been a significant advance in the harvest season, about 20 days earlier than in previous years. This forces us to be very attentive to the ripening moment and choose to harvest the grape before it overripens, even if it is not completely ripe, to seek a balance between phenolic and alcoholic maturity. This way, despite higher temperatures, our wines are showing more freshness with refined intensity. Ultimately, it's about adapting to the climatic situation we have.

What is the best vintage that you have made?

For me, 2005 was a memorable vintage, the best in all aspects, where all the important parameters were correct and balanced. 2020 was also a very good vintage, showing quite mature characteristics, and 2021 was a bit fresher. When we talk about good vintages, we refer to the conditions in which the grapes arrive at the winery, but as winemakers, we must try to make all vintages good. That's why, for me, all vintages are good.

What is your desert island food and wine pairing?

For me, it has to be fried eggs with fried, salted sardines and tender garlic. It’s a dish that makes me happy. I would pair it with our Bruma del Estrecho Marín, Paraje Las Encebras, a wine that has fermented in contact with skins. It is structured with a saline and savoury part that would go phenomenally with the dish.

… and finally, what is your favourite wine, and who would you share it with?

My favourite wine is a good champagne or a wine from the Jerez region. I can go to both extremes, but the wine must offer pleasure and an element of reflection. I would share it with the people who surround me daily and make me the person I am, which is family and friends.

Tim Atkin MW, Spain Report 2024

Elena's wines are recognised as some of the most exciting from Spain's lesser-known regions; they have received incredible reviews in Tim Atkin's "Spain Report 2024." They also offer remarkable value considering their exceptional quality - comparable wines from other European regions demand far higher prices!

4848 | Viña Elena Bruma Parcela Vereda, Jumilla, Spain, 2022 Levante 95 points
Vereda is a parcel of Monastrell planted in 1973. Fermented in French oak vats and aged in 500-litre barrels for ten months, the wine is a seductive combination of dark, sappy fruit, wet stone and chocolate notes. The palate is peppery with impressive acid, and despite its high alcohol, the wine is balanced with just enough tannic grip. 2024 – 2028
(Current vintage available: 2022)

4845 | Viña Elena Bruma Finca CQ Levante, Jumilla, Spain 2022 93 points
Finca CQ is Casa Quemada, a vineyard area that Viña Elena spent seven years recuperating. This is a blend of different plots of Monastrell grown on various soils and with varying aspects. It is perfumed with pretty violet notes and raspberry fruit. There is plenty of energy and focus, and chalky tannins which give the wine a lift. A very elegant Monastrell. 2024 – 2027

4847 | Viña Elena Bruma Paraje Marín 2023 Levante, Jumilla, Spain, 2023 90 points
Monastrell from a single vineyard in Jumilla’s driest sub-zone, this is a jammy and ripe red wine with lots of varietal character. Bright strawberry fruit dominates while supple tannins make for a deliciously approachable wine which is light on its feet. It’s also great value! 2024 – 2026
(Current vintage available: 2022)

4846 | Viña Elena Bruma Paraje Las Encebras, Levante, Jumilla, Spain, 2023 90 points
Elena Pacheco pays tribute to the Airén grape with this most unusual of wines. Vines are just under 40-years’-old and planted on sandy soils which bring a distinctive finesse to the wine. It is fermented in stainless steel on skins and around 30% whole bunch, and then aged in demijohns for ten months under flor. Lovely chamomile and sourdough notes dominate the nose and the palate offers good acidity and yellow fruit with a saline finish. 2024 – 2026
(Current vintage available: 2021)

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