The Mad Organic Wine Lady, the 1,100 Metres & the Frozen Grape
In 1998, Rosalía Molina and Manuel Garrote bought land in Landete, in the province of Cuenca, 90 miles west of Valencia, and planted vines at 1,100 metres — among the highest in Spain. She was dismissed by the local winemaking community as a hippie, the "mad organic wine lady." Today, from 150 hectares of certified organic and biodynamic vineyard, they produce 200,000 bottles a year of native-yeast, minimal-intervention wine, including Spain's only real ice wine — made from grapes frozen solid on the vine in January.
Origin — 1998, the Hippie & the Edge of What Is Possible
Rosalía Molina is a woman who fell in love with wine as a child. "Estoy enamorada del vino desde niña." She grew up in the region of Manchuela, worked in several bodegas gaining experience in both the cellar and the vineyard, and learned the trade from the ground up. In 1998, she and her husband Manuel Garrote — a viticultor with deep family ties to the land — bought a small estate in Landete, in the province of Cuenca, roughly 90 miles west of Valencia. The site was deliberately chosen: a high plateau surrounded by mountains, with clean air, remoteness, and a terroir that would allow the wines to express freshness and natural acidity. They planted their first vines — Syrah, followed by Malbec and Pinot Noir — and established Bodegas Altolandon. The name means High Land — a literal description of what they had chosen.
The local winemaking community was not impressed. In 1998, organic viticulture in Spain was almost unheard of. The Ministry of Agriculture would later report that 18% of Spanish vineyards were farmed organically — but that figure came decades later. In 1998, Rosalía was almost alone. Her long-time friend and export manager, Carmen Sebastián, recalls that the locals called her "the mad organic wine lady" — a hippie making life difficult for herself by refusing chemicals in a region where chemicals were the norm. "Back then people thought I was making life difficult for myself by deciding to grow our vines organically," Rosalía remembers. She was not making life difficult. She was making wine the only way she knew how.
The estate grew organically — in both senses of the word. From the original small plot, Rosalía and Manolo progressively acquired old vines — Grenache and Bobal, some over 75 years old — and expanded their holdings. Today, the property comprises 150 hectares of vineyard and 25 hectares of walnut trees, all farmed organically and biodynamically. Manolo manages the vines. Rosalía works in the cellar. It is a partnership of equals — the viticultor and the winemaker, the husband and the wife, the man who tends the earth and the woman who transforms its fruit.
In 2000, they produced their first vintage — just 5,000 bottles. The winery was formally established the following year. They obtained vegan certification in December 2015. And they have never stopped experimenting — with new varieties, new techniques, and new ways of expressing a terroir that, at 1,100 metres, is unlike any other in Spain. "This is viticulture on the edge of what is possible," claims Carmen Sebastián. The edge is where Rosalía has always been most comfortable.
The Place — 1,100 Metres, the 20-Degree Swing & the Animals
Landete sits on a high plateau at 1,050 to 1,100 metres above sea level — among the highest vineyards in Spain — surrounded by mountains on a flat plain that stretches toward the horizon. The climate is brutally continental: temperatures plummet to -17°C in winter, and the diurnal temperature swing during ripening can exceed 20 degrees. Heavy snow is a frequent issue. Frost is a constant threat. And the wind — the persistent, cleaning wind of the high plateau — is both the vineyard's protector and its challenge. It is, as Carmen Sebastián describes it, viticulture on the edge of what is possible.
The 20-Degree Diurnal Swing & Late Harvest
The altitude provides a 20-degree difference between day and night temperatures during ripening — a swing that encourages even ripening while preserving natural acidity. The result is wines of distinctive aromatic intensity and freshness — a paradox in a region more commonly associated with heat and bulk production. The harvest is among the latest in Spain: whites begin in mid-October, reds in late October, and twenty years ago it was even later. Climate change has pushed the dates forward by roughly 10 days, but Altolandon still harvests later than almost anyone else in the country. The late ripening, combined with abundant sun, produces concentration, fine tannins, and bright acids.
Organic, Biodynamic & the Free-Range Animals
The entire estate — 150 hectares of vines and 25 hectares of walnut trees — is certified organic and farmed biodynamically. Only natural fertilisers are used. The vineyard promotes biodiversity by allowing sheep, pigs, and chickens from local farms to roam and graze freely between the rows — a closed-loop ecosystem where the animals fertilise the soil, control weeds, and contribute to the health of the vines. The vines are cordon-trained and spur-pruned, with leaf thinning and green pruning employed to guarantee fruit quality. It is not merely sustainable farming. It is farming that recognises the vineyard as a living organism.
Old Vines & International Curiosity
After planting Syrah, Malbec, and Pinot Noir, Rosalía and Manolo progressively acquired old vines of Grenache and Bobal — some over 75 years old — and expanded their catalogue to include over 20 varieties: Bobal, Malbec, Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Muscat Petit Grain, Petit Manseng, Viognier, white Grenache, Albariño, and Touriga Nacional. The vineyard is split roughly evenly between red and white. Some experiments failed — Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo were abandoned because Rosalía did not like the wines they produced. Others succeeded beyond expectation. The old Grenache plot — ungrafted, with many missing plants — is the source of Altolandon by Rosalía, the estate's most personal wine.
Clean Air, Constant Wind & No Mould
The high altitude provides an unexpected advantage for organic farming: the wind cleans the air, and the cool temperatures, combined with low rainfall, mean that mould is less of a problem than at lower elevations. "Growing vines at such a high altitude gives us several advantages. It is much cooler than other vineyards at lower altitudes, and that, combined with low rainfall and wind means that mould is less of a problem for us, making it easier to grow our grapes organically and with little intervention." The wind is not merely meteorology. It is the invisible pesticide — the natural defence that allows Rosalía to farm without chemicals in a climate that would otherwise demand them.
Winemaking — Native Yeasts, the Amphora & the Ice Wine Accident
Rosalía's cellar philosophy is governed by a commitment to natural processes and minimal intervention. The grapes are hand-harvested and brought to the winery for gentle pressing. Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts in 6,000-litre stainless steel tanks — large enough to allow slow, even fermentation, small enough to maintain control. The wines are not clarified or filtered. Sulphites are rarely added and only at bottling — a pragmatic choice that ensures stability for export without compromising the wine's natural character. The wines are typically released two years after the vintage — natural winemaking cannot be rushed.
Ageing is split between stainless steel, French oak, and clay amphorae. The reds are aged in French oak barrels — the youngest in second-use barrels, the more complex in new oak or clay amphora — to supply texture and complexity without dominating the fruit. The whites ferment and age in a combination of steel, 500-litre casks, and 1,000-litre amphorae. The Biodiverso — a Petit Manseng aged for two years in amphora with biological flor development — is one of the most distinctive wines in the portfolio: a white wine that develops a sherry-like nutty tang through oxidative ageing under yeast, without fortification, without sulphur, and without the industrial scale of Jerez. It is natural wine meeting sherry tradition at 1,100 metres.
The ice wine — Dulce Enero — was born from a fortunate accident. "One year we forgot to harvest some vines, and I realised the grapes were frozen solid. That's when we decided to make the best of the situation and turn it into ice wine." The first vintage, made from Petit Manseng, was in 2000. The conditions are extreme and rare: the temperature must remain below -5°C for at least five consecutive days, but never below -13°C, before the grapes can be picked. The ice crystals in the frozen grapes concentrate the sugars while preserving acidity. Fermentation is slow — two to three months — in small stainless steel tanks. The result is a completely natural sweet wine with no oak ageing — and, according to Rosalía, the only real ice wine produced in Spain. Others on the market freeze grapes artificially in the winery; Altolandon freezes them on the vine, in January, at 1,100 metres, where nature does the work.
Rosalía is also a fierce advocate for gender equality in wine. "El vino no tiene sexo. Me molesta que se hable de vinos para mujeres — es como decir que está falto de esencia." Wine has no sex. It annoys her when people talk about wines for women — it is like saying the wine lacks essence. She is not a "female winemaker." She is a winemaker. And her wines — made with native yeasts, minimal sulphur, and the patience of two decades at altitude — are the proof.
The Wines — From the Thousand Stories to the Frozen January
Altolandon produces approximately 200,000 bottles a year from roughly 30% of its annual grape harvest — the remaining 70% is sold as certified organic grapes to other producers. The range is extensive, spanning entry-level blends, single-varietal expressions, orange wines, amphora-aged flor wines, pet-nats, and Spain's only authentic ice wine. Around 80% of production is exported, with Canada, the UK, and the USA as the largest markets. All wines are certified organic and vegan, fermented with native yeasts, and bottled without filtration or clarification.
Altolandon "Doña Leo"
Dry Muscat — DO ManchuelaThe estate's most distinctive white — a dry Muscat à Petits Grains with unexpected depth and aromatic complexity. First released in the 2014 vintage, Doña Leo overturns the assumption that Muscat must be sweet or fortified. Hand-harvested from organic vineyards at 1,100 metres, fermented with native yeasts, and aged with minimal intervention. The nose is intensely floral — orange blossom, jasmine, and white peach — with a distinct mountain freshness. The palate is dry, medium-bodied, and mouthwatering, with a saline finish that speaks to the altitude. It is also the base wine for the estate's pet-nat. A wine that proves Muscat has more to say than Moscato. Native yeasts, minimal sulphur at bottling.
Altolandon "Con Altura"
Pet-nat — DO ManchuelaA fun and refreshing pet-nat made from Doña Leo as its base wine — an untamed, effervescent expression of Muscat that captures the mountain energy of Altolandon in bubbles. Bottled before fermentation completes, trapping natural CO₂ from the grape's own sugars. The result is a wine of apricot-yellow colour, intensely aromatic, with white and pink flowers, subtle honey, orange blossom, and citrus fruits. The palate reveals vibrant notes of orange blossom, zesty citrus, and fresh white fruits — dry, lively, and irresistibly drinkable. The name Con Altura is a double meaning: with altitude and with attitude. Both apply. Native yeasts, zero dosage, minimal sulphur.
Altolandon "Mil Historias" Collection
Single-varietal series — DO ManchuelaThe entry-level single-varietal collection — A Thousand Stories — that showcases the breadth of varieties grown at Altolandon. The range includes red Tempranillo, Syrah, Malbec, Garnacha, and Bobal, as well as an orange blend and a white blend. Each wine is hand-harvested, fermented with native yeasts after a short cold soak, and aged in second and third-use French oak barrels for approximately 4 months — enough to soften the wine without overtly altering its character. The wines are then racked back to tank, where they stabilise naturally through the winter cold. The oak is not dominant. The fruit is intense, fresh, and unmistakably high-altitude. Bottled without fining or filtration, minimal sulphur.
Altolandon "Enblanco"
Orange / skin-contact — DO ManchuelaA profound orange wine from Grenache Blanc — hand-harvested from sandy soils in early October, then vinified in a 1,000-litre amphora. The process is deliberate and patient: 24 hours of pre-fermentation skin contact, followed by 28 days of skin-contact maceration through fermentation, then ageing in amphora off the skins. The result is a wine of deep amber colour, firm tannin, and complex aromatic evolution — dried apricot, orange peel, wild herbs, and a distinct sandy minerality. Full-bodied, grippy, and savoury. It is an orange wine that does not hide behind the trend. It earns its colour through time, skin contact, and the unique conditions of 1,100 metres. Bottled without fining, filtration, or sulphur.
Altolandon "Enrosado"
Rosé / skin-contact — DO ManchuelaA skin-contact rosé from Grenache Gris — hand-harvested from calcareous soils in early October, then vinified in a 1,000-litre amphora with the same extended maceration discipline as the Enblanco. 24 hours of pre-fermentation skin contact, 28 days of maceration through fermentation, and amphora ageing off the skins. The result is a wine of deeper colour and greater structure than a conventional rosé — salmon-amber, with notes of wild strawberry, rose petal, Mediterranean herbs, and a distinct calcareous chalkiness. The palate is medium-bodied, with gentle tannin and a long, savoury finish. A rosé for food, for contemplation, and for those who understand that pink wine should be taken seriously. Bottled without fining, filtration, or sulphur.
Altolandon "Biodiverso"
Flor-aged white — DO ManchuelaOne of the most singular wines in Spain — 100% Petit Manseng from stony, calcareous soils, harvested late, macerated for one day, then fermented and aged for two years in a 1,000-litre amphora. During the ageing process, flor is allowed to develop naturally on top of the wine — a biological fermentation that imparts complex notes of lemon, grapefruit, pear, toasted bread, almonds, butter, and spice. Almost golden in colour, with a mature, fine nose and a distinct sherry-like nutty tang. It is a white wine that exists at the intersection of natural wine, sherry tradition, and amphora ageing — a category of one, made by a woman who refuses to accept that wine must fit into pre-existing boxes. Bottled without fining, filtration, or sulphur.
Altolandon "Rayuelo"
Bobal — DO ManchuelaA fragrant, less tannic Bobal than those grown at lower elevations — proof that altitude transforms even the most rustic variety into something elegant. Hand-harvested from organic vineyards at 1,100 metres, fermented with native yeasts, and aged with minimal intervention. The nose is of dark cherry, wild herbs, and a distinct mountain freshness. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a long, savoury finish. It is a Bobal that drinks like a Pinot Noir — light, aromatic, and deeply satisfying. A wine that overturns every assumption about the variety and the region. Native yeasts, minimal sulphur at bottling.
Altolandon "Altolandon by Rosalía"
Garnacha — DO ManchuelaThe estate's most personal wine — a 100% Garnacha sourced from a very old, ungrafted plot with many missing plants, named after the winemaker herself. The vineyard is a survivor: bush-trained, dry-farmed, and rooted directly in the calcareous soil without American rootstock. The wine is vibrant, floral, and fruit-driven — red cherry, wild rose, Mediterranean herbs, and a silken texture that is rare for Garnacha at this latitude. It is a wine that carries Rosalía's signature: organic, native yeast, minimal intervention, and the patience of a woman who has spent her life proving that the edge is where the best wine is made. Native yeasts, minimal sulphur.
Altolandon "Dulce Enero" — Ice Wine
Sweet wine — DO ManchuelaSpain's only real ice wine — and one of the few authentic ice wines produced outside Germany, Austria, and Canada. Made from Petit Manseng grapes left on the vine until January, when they freeze solid in temperatures that remain below -5°C for at least five consecutive days (but never below -13°C). The grapes are hand-picked while frozen, pressed immediately, and the ice crystals are left behind, concentrating the sugars and preserving the acidity. Fermentation is slow — two to three months — in small stainless steel tanks. The result is a completely natural sweet wine with no oak ageing, no added sugar, and no artificial freezing. Honey, apricot, peach, and a razor-sharp acidity that prevents the sweetness from becoming cloying. A wine for dark chocolate, aged cheese, and the contemplation of winter. Native yeasts, no added sulphur during ageing.
Altolandon "Irrepetible" / "L'Ame" / "CF de Alto Landón" / Flagship
Red blends & single varietals — DO ManchuelaThe premium range — wines of greater structure, longer ageing, and deeper complexity. Irrepetible is a blend of Syrah and Malbec, aged for seven months in oak, showcasing the trademark aromatic intensity and freshness. L'Ame is a single-varietal Malbec of extraordinary depth. CF de Alto Landón is a Cabernet Franc — vibrant, floral, and fruit-driven, a variety unusual in Spain that thrives at altitude. The flagship Altolandon is a blend of Syrah, Garnacha, and Cabernet Franc, aged for 20 months in barrel — but the oak is not dominant, and the tannins are fine. These are wines for cellaring, for special occasions, and for those who understand that Manchuela, at 1,100 metres, can produce reds of world-class elegance. Native yeasts, minimal sulphur at bottling.
Legacy — The Pioneer, the 1,100 Metres & the Wine That Has No Sex
Bodegas Altolandon matters because it is one of the most significant and pioneering organic wine estates in Spain — the work of a woman who, in 1998, chose to farm organically in a region where chemicals were the norm, who planted vines at 1,100 metres when experts said it was impossible, and who, over two decades, built a 150-hectare estate that produces 200,000 bottles a year of native-yeast, minimal-intervention wine, including Spain's only authentic ice wine. In a region where Manchuela was synonymous with bulk production, Rosalía Molina has proven that extreme altitude, organic farming, and patient winemaking can produce wines of extraordinary aromatic intensity, freshness, and global recognition.
Her legacy is agricultural. By establishing one of the first certified organic wineries in Castilla-La Mancha in 1998, by farming 150 hectares biodynamically with natural fertilisers and free-roaming animals, by maintaining old vines of Grenache and Bobal over 75 years old, and by demonstrating that 20-degree diurnal temperature swings at 1,100 metres produce wines of natural acidity and fine tannin, Rosalía has created a model for sustainable viticulture that has influenced the entire region. Today, 18% of Spanish vineyards are organic. In 1998, Rosalía was almost alone. She was not mad. She was simply ahead.
Her legacy is also oenological. The Biodiverso — a Petit Manseng aged for two years in amphora with natural flor development — is a wine category of one: natural wine, sherry tradition, and clay ageing, combined at altitude. The Dulce Enero — Spain's only real ice wine, made from grapes frozen solid on the vine in January — is a testament to the accident that becomes art when the winemaker has the knowledge to recognise it. The Enblanco and Enrosado — 28-day skin-contact wines from Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris — push the boundaries of what orange and pink wine can be. And the Con Altura pet-nat proves that Muscat, at 1,100 metres, can be effervescent, dry, and profound.
And her legacy is philosophical. Rosalía Molina is a woman who has spent her career refusing categories. "El vino no tiene sexo." Wine has no sex. She is not a female winemaker. She is a winemaker. She does not make wine for women. She makes wine for the table, for the vineyard, for the expression of terroir. Her rejection of the "wines for women" marketing category is not merely political. It is ontological — a belief that wine, like the land it comes from, transcends the human categories we impose on it. The wine is the thing. The rest is noise.
From the 5,000 bottles of the first vintage to the 200,000 bottles of today, from the "mad organic wine lady" to the Master of Wine candidate, from the frozen grapes of January to the flor-covered amphorae of summer, Bodegas Altolandon is a testament to what happens when a woman decides that the altitude is older than the appellation, that the wind is truer than the consultant, and that the best way to make wine is to let the vineyard speak, the yeast decide, and the time pass. The mad organic wine lady has spoken. The mountain listens. And the drinker is transformed.