In 1999, the FRIAS family made the decision to refurbish an old creamery located in the village of Dehesas in Ponferrada (León), and this led to the establishment of a very special winery, Bodegas Estefanía.
Fifteen years later in 2014, the winery became part of the MGWines Group, which was a boost for the winery’s main brand Tilenus, named after Teleno, the Roman god of war.
Equivalent to the Roman war god Mars, the brand was named this to pay tribute to the golden years of the Roman era in the Bierzo, which was when the empire began to exploit the rich gold mines of the Médulas. A lesser known period which largely shaped the history of the area. Moreover, the wine depicts a Roman coin that was found in one of the vineyards.
PRESENT DAY
Today, this era has been exemplified upon the wine labels with a roman coin that was found in one of the vineyards. All this has led to a winery that produces exclusive wines in a traditional way where each grape is carefully selected by hand.
PRODUCTION
Unveiling the secrets of winemaking Bodegas Estefanía has a production winery that was built combining materials such as slate, stone and wood, following the area’s traditional architecture. Each production phase has to be specifically prepared and monitored for temperature, moisture and light.
In the case of the barrel room, this has around one thousand Bordeaux barrels, manufactured by the most prestigious barrel-making cooperage firms and are mostly made of French oak.
The continental climate keeps a balance of moisture due to the influence of the Atlantic climate from Galicia and the dry air coming from Castile. The blending of these climatic elements with the minerally, clayey soils of the landscape produce a very special grape of excellent quality called Mencía.
WINE TOURISM
For those wine lovers seeking a deeper appreciation of how this land an history has shaped the flavour of Tilenus, Bodegas Estefanía offers different types of activities where the visitor gets involved with the charm of the winery, its wines and can discover the magical secrets that await their land.
In it, you will be able to know a little bit about the history of the Bierzo and the native variety Mencía, as well as visit the facilities of the winery and its vineyards.
PRICE: 10€.00 to 22€ per person depending on tour.
EMAIL: info@tilenus.com
TELEPHONE: +34 965 928 857
WEBSITE: www.tilenus.com
