The Mercenary, the Garage & the Grape That Nobody Wanted
In Ontinyent, in the heart of the Vall d'Albaida, Cristóbal Vanyó Beneyto — school teacher, rock climber, and wine mercenary — makes natural wine in a converted garage beneath his family home, harvesting abandoned vineyards that everyone else forgot, with nothing added and nothing removed.
Origin — 2015, the Teacher & the Return from Catalonia
Celler Cos a Cos is the work of Cristóbal Vanyó Beneyto — known to everyone as Cris — a school teacher and accomplished rock climber from Ontinyent, a town located between Valencia and Alicante in the heart of the Vall d'Albaida. But Cris is not merely a teacher who makes wine on weekends. He is, by his own definition and that of everyone who knows him, a wine mercenary — a man who, when he finds an abandoned vineyard, often left untended for many years, picks up a basket, jumps onto the terrace, and gives it his all.
Everything began in 2015 in Terra Alta, Catalonia, where Cris had gone to work as a teacher. It was there that he produced his first barrel of wine in the cellar of his great master, Laureano Serres Montagut — the legendary natural winemaker behind Mendall — with whom he continues to collaborate to this day. Through friendship with Laureano and Josep Serres (Portes Obertes), Cris progressed from hobbyist distiller to winemaker, learning the alchemy of nothing-added, nothing-removed vinification in the crucible of Catalan natural wine.
Terra Alta became his adopted home. But in 2019, something pulled him back. Cris was compelled to return to Valencia — not for work, but for the vines. He began to seek out the local and often forgotten varieties of his native region: old Monastrell vines, abandoned Forcallat plots, Tardana and Tortosí growing wild on terraces that no one had pruned in decades. He found vineyards that had been left to their own devices, and with the agreement of the owners when they could be identified, he began to care for them again — pruning, harvesting, and transforming their fruit into wine in the converted garage beneath his family home.
The name Cos a Cos means "body to body" in Valencian — a phrase that captures the physical, almost athletic nature of Cris's relationship with wine. This is not a remote, managerial winemaking. It is hand-to-hand combat with the vine, the basket, the manual wooden press, and the barrel. The project is minifundist — working tiny, scattered plots — and the particularity of the Cos a Cos vineyard is precisely this: to harvest vines that have been abandoned for years, a guarantee of untreated soils but hardly candidates for certification. The wines are not polished. They are not standardized. They are the fermented grape juice of survival.
The Place — The Abandoned Vine, the Sierra del Torrater & the Calcareous Clay
Ontinyent sits in the Vall d'Albaida, a comarca of inland Valencia where the landscape is mountainous, the climate is continental-Mediterranean, and agriculture has been practiced since before the Romans. Cris's vineyards are scattered across small, abandoned plots throughout the valley — a minifundist patchwork of old vines that he has rescued from neglect. The most significant is the Rosariet vineyard — a plot that faces east at 400 metres above sea level, in the shade of the Sierra del Torrater. The soil is calcareous-clay. The cultivation is dry-farmed, without irrigation. And the vines are trained vertically, reaching for the sky.
The Rosariet Vineyard — Two Vines, Two Ages, One Plot
The Rosariet is Cris's most important parcel. It sits at 400m on calcareous-clay soil, facing east to catch the morning sun while sheltered from the afternoon heat by the Sierra del Torrater. The vineyard contains two distinct vines — one 22 years old and the other 30 years old — both planted in a vertical structure that forces the vines to reach upward, concentrating their energy and their fruit. The cultivation is environmentally friendly: the topsoil is covered with vegetation that is only cut once a year, increasing biodiversity, controlling erosion, and maintaining the natural balance of the plot. The vines are pruned with two arms and three thumbs for each arm — a traditional Valencian system that Cris maintains with meticulous care.
The Abandoned Vineyards — Pre-Phylloxera Survivors
Cris's true distinction is not a single estate but a network of rescued vines. He harvests primarily from long abandoned and untended vineyards across the Vall d'Albaida — some of which pre-date the phylloxera crisis of the late 19th century. These are vines that have survived because they were forgotten, not because they were cherished. When Cris finds them, he prunes them, tends them, and harvests them by hand — often with friends and neighbours — following the same principles he has since the beginning: properly-ripened grapes, picked by hand, with nothing added and nothing removed. The soils are untreated, uncertified, and utterly authentic. The yields are tiny. The character is immense.
Monastrell — The Soul of the Vall d'Albaida
Monastrell — Mourvèdre, Mataro — is the defining red grape of southeastern Spain, and at Cos a Cos it finds one of its most honest expressions. In Cris's hands, Monastrell is not over-extracted, over-oaked, or over-alcoholic. It is fermented with indigenous yeasts, macerated for six days on its skins in stainless steel, pressed in a manual wooden press, and finished in barrel. The result is a wine of extraordinary freshness and wildness — red fruit, Mediterranean herbs, and a mineral backbone that speaks of the calcareous clay. The Rosariet Monastrell is the wine that made Cris's reputation — and it is a wine that could only come from these specific vines, at this specific altitude, handled by these specific hands.
The Forgotten Varieties — Forcallat, Tardana, Tortosí & Lledoner Pellut
While Monastrell anchors the reds, Cris's true passion is for the forgotten native varieties of Valencia. Forcallat — also known as Forcallà — is a late-ripening, late-budding red grape that once dominated the Vall d'Albaida and Alto Vinalopó but has now become almost extinct, with only a few hectares remaining. Tardana — Planta Nova — is a white grape of extraordinary acidity that ripens late and thrives on neglect. Tortosí is a rare, nearly vanished white variety that survives in only a handful of old vineyards. And Lledoner Pellut — the hairy-leafed Grenache — adds texture and wildness to the reds. Together, these varieties form a living archive of Valencian viticulture — a library that Cris is determined to keep open.
Winemaking — The Manual Press, the Indigenous Yeast & Nothing Added
Cris Vanyó's cellar philosophy is absolute and non-negotiable: nothing added, nothing removed. In the cellar as in the vineyard, no chemical input is used. The yeasts are indigenous — carried on the grape skins themselves, not purchased from a laboratory. The wines are not filtered and do not undergo any mechanical operation other than racking. This is not natural wine as a marketing category. It is natural wine as a technical description — the dictionary definition of fermented grape juice.
The process is deliberately primitive — not out of nostalgia, but out of conviction. Cris hand-harvests every grape, selecting each bunch he cuts. He destems by hand into small deposits. He ferments in stainless steel vats, amphorae, and barrels — whichever vessel the wine demands. And he presses using a manual wooden press — an ancient tool that extracts juice through patience rather than force, preserving the integrity of the fruit and avoiding the bitter tannins that come from aggressive mechanical pressing.
The Ca Rosario — his signature Monastrell — exemplifies the method. The grapes are hand-harvested and transported in boxes to the garage winery. The juice is macerated with its skins for six days in a stainless steel tank, starting spontaneous fermentation. This is followed by pressing in the manual wooden press, after which the wine continues fermentation in stainless steel. One and a half months after fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to barrel — in some cases, new wood — where it macerates for two months before bottling. No sulphites. No selected yeasts. No enzymes. No filtration. The winemaker's own tasting note for this wine is a single word: "BRUTAL!"
Cris's creativity extends beyond still wine. He makes blancos, tintos, rosados, espumosos y oxidativos — whites, reds, rosés, sparklings, and oxidatives. He experiments with eau de vie — single-bottle distillations that capture the essence of a specific variety. He makes rancio — oxidatively aged wines that fill a variety of barrels dotted around his garage. And he raises wines in an array of vessels — stainless steel, amphorae, ceramic eggs, barrels — always inquisitive, always searching for the expression that the grape, not the winemaker, wants to give. "Blancos, tintos, rosados, espumosos y oxidativos, Cris no tiene límites, le apasiona la diversidad de las uvas autóctonas para crear un amplio abanico de sensaciones."
The Wines — From the Brutal Monastrell to the Forgotten Forcallat
Celler Cos a Cos produces a wide and constantly shifting range of natural wines — reds, whites, oranges, rosés, sparklings, and oxidatives — all made with indigenous yeasts, zero added sulphites, and no filtration or clarification. Production is tiny, variable, and dictated by the vineyards Cris manages to rescue each year. Some cuvées appear once and never again. Others have become signatures. All are honest. All are alive. And all are made in the garage beneath a family home in Ontinyent.
Cos a Cos "Ca Rosario"
Red — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaThe signature and most celebrated wine — 100% Monastrell from the Rosariet vineyard, facing east at 400 metres on calcareous-clay soils in the shade of the Sierra del Torrater. Hand-harvested, 6 days of skin maceration in stainless steel, pressed in a manual wooden press, finished fermentation in stainless steel, then transferred to barrel for 2 months (in some cases new wood). Bottled without filtration or clarification. The wine maker's own note: "BRUTAL!" — exceptionally robust, wild, and alive. The nose is of dark berries, Mediterranean herbs, and wild earth. The palate is dense, textured, and uncompromising — a Monastrell that has not been tamed. 13.5% ABV. Zero sulphites. Indigenous yeast.
Cos a Cos "4callat"
Red — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaA radical, natural wine from the nearly extinct Forcallat — also known as Forcallà — a late-ripening, late-budding red grape that once dominated the Vall d'Albaida and Alto Vinalopó but has now all but disappeared. The name means "forked" in Valencian, referring to the winged shape of the bunches. Forcallat produces pale-coloured, modest-alcohol wines — characteristics that were once seen as weaknesses but that climate change has turned into strengths. At Cos a Cos, it is vinified naturally — hand-harvested, indigenous fermentation, no sulphites, no filtration. The result is a wine of extreme, savage, wild aromatics — granate in colour, with a nose that defies convention and a palate that demands attention. A wine for the adventurous. A wine for the archive. ~12.5–13% ABV. Zero sulphites. Extremely limited.
Cos a Cos "Ca Malanca"
Red — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaA natural red of variable composition from Cris's scattered abandoned vineyards — likely drawing on Monastrell, Alicante Bouschet, and Lledoner Pellut depending on the vintage and the plot. Ca Malanca is a wine that changes with the year because the vineyards change with the year — some plots produce more, some less, some are lost to frost or drought, others are newly discovered. The common thread is indigenous fermentation, minimal handling, and zero sulphites. A wine that captures the chaos and beauty of minifundist viticulture — the small-plot, hands-on approach that defines Cos a Cos. ~13–14% ABV. Zero sulphites. Unfiltered.
Cos a Cos "Ca Rosa"
Rosé — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaA natural rosé made from the same abandoned vineyards as the reds — likely Monastrell, Garnacha, or Forcallat given brief skin contact and gentle pressing. The colour is pale salmon to deep onion-skin, depending on the vintage and the grape. The nose is of wild strawberry, rose petal, and crushed herbs. The palate is fresh, dry, and textured — a rosé with the soul of a red and the drinkability of a white. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, bottled without filtration, and offered without pretence. A wine for long lunches and late afternoons — the kind of rosé that makes you understand why the Mediterranean invented the colour pink. ~12.5–13% ABV. Zero sulphites. Unfiltered.
Cos a Cos "Fuddy Daddy"
White — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaA natural white of Mediterranean generosity — Grenache Blanc and Macabeu from rescued vineyards in the Vall d'Albaida. Grenache Blanc brings white peach, pear, and a gentle, oily texture. Macabeu contributes citrus freshness, almond bitterness, and a saline minerality that speaks of the calcareous soils. Together, they produce a wine that is simultaneously lush and precise — full in the mouth, clean on the finish, and utterly distinctive. Fermented naturally, aged according to the vintage, and bottled without artifice. A white wine that proves the Mediterranean can do freshness without sacrificing generosity. ~12.5–13% ABV. Zero sulphites. Unfiltered.
Cos a Cos "Never Too Late Blanc"
White — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaA 100% Tardana — Planta Nova — the late-ripening, high-acidity native white grape of Valencia that thrives on neglect and reaches its peak when other varieties have already been harvested. The name Never Too Late is a joke and a truth: Tardana ripens late, and Cris's decision to champion it came late in the variety's history — but it is never too late to save a grape from extinction. The wine is fresh, acidic, and mineral — green apple, lemon zest, and a chalky finish that speaks of the Sierra del Torrater. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged in stainless steel or amphora depending on the year, and bottled without sulphites. A white wine for those who understand that patience is a virtue — in the vineyard and in the glass. ~12% ABV. Zero sulphites.
Cos a Cos "Tortosí"
White — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaFrom Tortosí — a rare, nearly vanished white variety that survives in only a handful of old vineyards in the Valencian Community. Cris found Tortosí growing wild on an abandoned terrace, pruned it back to health, and made a wine that is simultaneously a rescue mission and a work of art. The wine is mineral, herbal, and subtly saline — not fruity in the conventional sense, but rather evocative of wild fennel, mountain herbs, and wet stone. A wine for the curious. A wine for the collector. And a wine that proves extinction is not inevitable if someone cares enough to climb the terrace. ~12% ABV. Zero sulphites. Extremely limited.
Cos a Cos "Mas De Suagres White"
White — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaA field blend of forgotten white varieties — Merseguera, Malvasia, and Muscat d'Alexandria — from a rescued vineyard that Cris calls Mas de Suagres. The Merseguera provides mineral backbone and pithy texture. The Malvasia contributes floral aromatics and honeyed depth. And the Muscat adds orange blossom and tropical generosity. Together, they produce a white wine of extraordinary complexity and balance — a wine that tastes like a collaboration between three grapes that have grown together for decades, because that is exactly what it is. Fermented naturally, aged on lees, and bottled without sulphites. ~12.5% ABV. Zero sulphites. Unfiltered.
Cos a Cos "Meau"
Sparkling — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaA natural sparkling wine — Tardana and Muscat d'Alexandria — made by the ancestral method in the garage beneath Cris's family home. The grapes are hand-harvested, pressed in the manual wooden press, and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Bottled before fermentation is complete to trap the natural CO₂. The result is a pet-nat of wild, untamed energy — fine, natural bubbles, citrus and floral aromatics, and a finish that is simultaneously saline and refreshing. It may contain natural sediments. It may be slightly cloudy. It is, in every sense, alive. A sparkling wine that captures the joy and irreverence of natural wine — the kind of bottle that makes Champagne seem over-engineered. ~12% ABV. Zero sulphites. Unfiltered.
Cos a Cos Rancio & Eau de Vie
Fortified / Spirit — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaCris's experimental edge — tiny productions of rancio and eau de vie that fill a variety of barrels dotted around his garage. The rancio is made by oxidatively ageing wine in barrels under a veil of flor or with deliberate exposure to air — a traditional Mediterranean practice that produces wines of extraordinary complexity, nuttiness, and saline depth. The eau de vie is distilled in single-bottle experiments that capture the pure essence of a specific variety — a distillation not of alcohol, but of place and memory. These are not commercial products. They are private inquiries, shared with friends — the kind of experiments that remind you why natural wine matters: because it is not only a beverage, but a form of research.
Cos a Cos Experimental / Limited Releases
Variable — Ontinyent, Vall d'AlbaidaCris's garage experiments — small-lot cuvées that push the boundaries of what natural wine in the Vall d'Albaida can express. These may include extended skin-contact whites from Tardana or Tortosí, single-parcel bottlings from newly discovered abandoned vineyards, carbonic maceration reds from young Monastrell vines, or wines aged in alternative vessels beyond amphorae and barrels. The common thread is zero sulphites, indigenous yeast, and total creative freedom guided by the vineyard and the season. These wines are not always available. When they are, they are shared with the small community of collectors who understand that Cos a Cos's experiments are not gimmicks but genuine inquiries into what the forgotten terraces of Ontinyent can express when a mercenary with a basket decides to climb.
Legacy — The Mercenary, the Garage & the Grape That Refused to Die
Celler Cos a Cos matters because it is one of the most authentic and uncompromising natural wine projects in the Valencian Community — the work of a school teacher who, since 2015, has proven that abandoned vineyards, indigenous yeast, and zero sulphites can produce wines of extraordinary character and emotional depth. In a region where industrial agriculture and bulk production have long dominated, Cris Vanyó has shown that Monastrell can be wild, Forcallat can be saved, and Tardana can be profound — and that the world will pay attention if the work is honest, even when it is made in a garage.
His legacy is agricultural. By harvesting from abandoned and untended vineyards across the Vall d'Albaida, by fostering old native vines that pre-date the phylloxera crisis, by maintaining all plant cover to increase biodiversity and control erosion, and by refusing to use chemicals in either vineyard or cellar, Cris has created a model for viticulture that is closer to archaeology than to agriculture. He does not plant new vineyards. He rescues old ones. And in doing so, he has saved varieties — Tortosí, Forcallat, Tardana — that would otherwise have disappeared.
His legacy is also oenological. The Ca Rosario — 100% Monastrell, 6 days skin contact, manual wooden press, barrel-aged, zero sulphites, described by its maker as "BRUTAL!" — is a wine that almost no one else in the world could make, because almost no one else has Cris's hands, Cris's garage, and Cris's refusal to compromise. The 4callat — a single-varietal wine from a grape with only a few hectares remaining — is a liquid act of preservation. And the Meau — a pet-nat of Tardana and Muscat made by the ancestral method in a family garage — proves that sparkling wine does not need a cathedral cellar to be divine.
And his legacy is philosophical. "La naturaleza te devuelve lo que le has dado." Nature returns what you give it. This is not a marketing slogan. It is the hard-won wisdom of a man who spends his weekends climbing terraces and pruning vines that nobody owns — who works as a teacher during the week and as a wine mercenary during the harvest, who makes eau de vie in single bottles and rancio in forgotten barrels, who treats every grape as a gift and every wine as a responsibility. His energy and excitement for the winemaking process, from vine to bottle, shows through in everything he touches.
From the Terra Alta to the Vall d'Albaida, from Laureano Serres's cellar to the garage beneath a family home in Ontinyent, from the first barrel in 2015 to the rescued pre-phylloxera vines of today, Cristóbal Vanyó Beneyto has proven that the best way to make wine is to find what has been abandoned and love it back to life — body to body, basket to vine, hand to grape. The mercenary has spoken. The garage is warm. And the drinker is transformed.