The winemaking tradition of the Guadalest valley in Alicante is being revived by the Vidal Balaguer family with the restoration of four farmhouses and their estates, giving back to the valley its winemaking, agricultural and cultural tradition.
This beautiful corner of the province of Alicante, in the heart of the Valencian Community, where tradition and nature go hand in hand, has had a passionate love affair with the world of wine for many centuries. This is demonstrated by the references to the cultivation of vines in the Libro del Repartiment de Jaume I of 1237.
The area’s important winemaking tradition was brought to a screeching halt – to the point of disappearing completely – with the appearance of the dreaded phylloxera at the end of the 19th century.
This place of exquisite beauty, located between the Aitana, Serella and Xortá mountain ranges, saw many of its inhabitants forced to emigrate to destinations as diverse as Algeria, Argentina and New York, the city where José Balaguer arrived. Luck and hard work were rewarded and he was able to return to Benimantell where, after his marriage, he opened Más de Moli, a successful inn which was frequented by numerous intellectuals from Alicante at the beginning of the 20th century, such as the writer Gabriel Miró, the composer Óscar Esplá and the painter Emilio Varela, the economist Germán Bernácer and the architect Juan Vidal.
The ambitious dream of five brothers
More than a century later, José Balaguer’s descendants have managed to revive the winemaking tradition in the Guadalest Valley, and have thus contributed to writing another page in the history of Benimantell and the Marina Baixa region.
An ambitious and at the same time personal dream that has led them to turn the Mas de Ondara estate, with more than eight hundred years of history, and the winery into the heart of this desired project. Bodega MASOS, which opened its doors last June, has more than 5.5 hectares of native varieties in Mas de la Mona such as Monastrell and Garnacha Tintorera – Alicante Bouschet and foreign varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Chardonnay and another five hectares in Mas de Ondara, as well as Viognier and Tempranillo as experimental varieties. These varieties have adapted perfectly to the Mediterranean climate of the location.
With these ingredients they are making four great wines of enormous expressiveness. The first to see the light of day was Albor de MASOS, a coupage of Monastrell, Alicante and Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak barrels for ten months and another twelve in the bottle; Vidal Balaguer, the most gastronomic and pure homage to the family, is a red wine that rests for eighteen months in French oak barrels and another fifteen in the bottle, made with Monastrell, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Alicante grapes; Mas de la Mona is a white wine named after one of the family’s most beloved estates, where the Chardonnay grape used to make it is grown, and finally, the rosé Penya del Castellet, a 100% Monastrell named after an old Arab cistern in the area.
Aware of the importance of having a well-trained team, the Vidal Balaguer family has surrounded itself with the best professionals, starting with Antoine Medeville, consultant oenologist and owner of Château Fleur la Mothe, cru bourgeois in the Médoc, as well as head of the Oenoconseil oenological office, which works with numerous wineries in Bordeaux, mainly in the Médoc and in several appellations in the region. And continuing with the director Javier Velasco who, in addition to being a great wine lover, has been an international sommelier for more than two decades, a teacher at several universities in the city of Alicante, at the School of Hotel Management and at the CdT of the Valencia Region. and a great connoisseur of the Alicante D.O., to which MASOS is a member.
The winery covers an area of almost four hundred hectares and has a “masía” -with its own chapel- which had a wine-making room, a wine press (cup) and a traditional press, whose remodelling has respected the traditional structure as much as possible. In addition, the barrel room has been refurbished for wine ageing and a tasting area designed by the prestigious interior designer Alejandra Pombo has been incorporated on the ground floor of the winery. Tradition, technology and modernity come together in the vat room and has two glass façades from which you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of the valley.
And if we are still talking about traditions, we cannot ignore its olive oil legacy. Since the 19th century, the estate has had an olive grove with the most representative olive of the area, the Alfafarenca. He currently produces two gourmet AOVES at the Mas del Clot olive mill, Oli del Clot, a smooth blend with personality, and Oro de MASOS, 100% Alfafarenca, a more powerful olive juice.
Unforgettable experiences in the Guadalest Valley
Bodega MASOS offers its visitors exclusive, private and adapted oenological activities to discover the Guadalest Valley in a different way. Suggestive plans that give us the chance to admire the natural beauty of the surrounding area, while tasting its wines and gastronomy.
Trilogy Experience encourages us to discover the essence of Mas de Ondara with a tasting of three wines and to learn about the origin of its production.
Roots Experiences consists of two daily visits, from Wednesday to Sunday, in which four MASOS wines and oils are tasted and their production process is explained. The experience is rounded off with first-hand knowledge of the history of the winery, as well as the characteristics that make its terroir special.
For the most exquisite palates, the Tribute to the Earth Experience is a gastronomic proposal of four courses and three appetizers. A special pairing based on local and seasonal products by the house chef Enrique Martínez. This experience is completed with the tasting of four MASOS labels and its two oils, Oro de Masos and Oli de Clot, as well as a visit to the vat and barrel room.
And in the future...
The project started by the five Vidal Balaguer brothers is still missing two pieces that will make Bodega MASOS even bigger. Soon they plan to open Ca Marieta, a restaurant named after the matriarch of the family who passed on her love of good food to them. Located in the Masía de la Mona, one kilometre away from the winery, Ca Marieta is run by chef Enrique Martínez, trained in such emblematic kitchens as El Bulli, Arzak, Casa Pepa and Peix i Brase, will reinterpret traditional Alicante recipes with nods to contemporary haute cuisine.
If we are talking about openings, Mas de la Mona is also planning to inaugurate a hotel that will undoubtedly be a benchmark in the province. The building that will house it was restored while preserving its authenticity, while the interior design bears the stamp of Alejandra Pombo, who has managed to fuse the rustic flavour of the original building with contemporary pieces and elements. It will have a total of 23 rooms in four categories: double with private pool, standard double, junior suite and suite with infinity pool; all of them guaranteeing an intimate and comfortable environment.
In full communion with nature and surrounded by centenary olive trees and vineyards, the Vidal Balaguer family shows a firm commitment to the preservation of the natural environment and a deep respect for the beauty and biodiversity of the Guadalest Valley. Without a doubt, Bodega MASOS is the ideal place to live unforgettable experiences in one of the most beautiful corners of the interior of the province of Alicante.
