2021 Torremilanos "Peñalba López" Blanco, Castilla Y Leon D.O., Spain

Some wineries are built by entrepreneurs. Finca Torremilanos was built by a family — and kept by a woman who has been at its helm for over fifty years without anyone being quite able to keep up with her. Founded in 1903 in Aranda de Duero, Finca Torremilanos is the second-oldest wine-producing estate in what is now Ribera del Duero DO (after Vega Sicilia) — a 200-hectare property that was instrumental in the establishment of the DO itself in 1982. Pilar Pérez Albéniz, one of the most respected women in the region, winner of the inaugural ‘Ribera Heritage’ Award in 2019, and the first person to earn Demeter biodynamic certification in the appellation (as of 2015), has been running Torremilanos since the late 1970s — with her sons Ricardo and Vicente now handling winemaking and sales beside her. Fifty years in and still marching to the beat of her own drummer. Producing both traditionally styled and experimental wines from a certified biodynamic estate that doesn’t ask permission from anyone.

The “Peñalba López” Blanco is the experimental expression of that independence: a white wine from Castilla y León made from a distinctive and uncommon blend of Albillo Mayor (Tempranillo Blanco), Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Viura — four varieties that, in Pilar’s hands, produce something far greater than their individual parts. Biodynamically farmed. Complex, expressive, and deeply food-friendly. A woman-owned Premier Club selection and one of Spain’s most quietly extraordinary white wines.

Wine Details & Tasting Notes

Tasting Notes: Clean golden yellow color without reflections, slightly oily in the glass. Intense and quite expressive nose with notes of white fruit, hints of butter, citrus nuances, soft toast, and light hints of vanilla. Good attack on the palate, providing fatty, rounded sensations. Light, elegant, and long with good acidity and beautiful balance.

• Origin – Castilla y León DO, Aranda de Duero, Spain (200-hectare Finca Torremilanos estate; second-oldest in Ribera del Duero region, est. 1903)
• Producer – Finca Torremilanos Winery & Vineyard; woman-owned; Pilar Pérez Albéniz, proprietor and director (50+ years at the helm; inaugural ‘Ribera Heritage’ Award, 2019); sons Ricardo (winemaking) and Vicente (sales); first Demeter-certified biodynamic winery in the appellation (2015)
• Blend – Albillo Mayor (Tempranillo Blanco), Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viura
• Farming – Demeter-certified biodynamic
• Style – Dry white wine (biodynamic; complex; food-friendly; experimental)
• ABV – 14.0%

Food Pairing

The white fruit, butter, citrus, soft toast, vanilla, and rounded fatty texture of this biodynamic Castilla y León white make it one of the most versatile and genuinely rewarding Spanish whites you can pour at the table. Pairs beautifully with roasted chicken, grilled turbot, and pan-seared sea bass — the buttery richness and good acidity complement both delicate fish and more substantial preparations. The toasty, lightly oxidative complexity makes it a wonderful companion for aged Manchego, creamy cow’s milk cheeses, and mushroom-based dishes. Also excellent alongside seafood paella, clam pasta, and anything with olive oil, herbs, and the flavors of the Spanish countryside. A natural for summer BBQs and picnics, Premier Club selections, and any dinner where you want a white wine with the complexity of a red and the freshness to match the season. Serve at 50–54°F.

Occasion

This is your go-to Spanish biodynamic white — the bottle for Premier Wine Club selections, summer entertaining, meaningful gifting, and sharing with the wine enthusiast who appreciates Demeter-certified biodynamic farming, experimental winemaking, and the quiet power of a woman who has been running one of Spain’s oldest estates for over half a century without asking anyone for permission.

Wine Producer / Historical Notes

Founded in 1903 in Aranda de Duero, Finca Torremilanos is the second-oldest wine-producing estate in what is now Ribera del Duero DO — a 200-hectare property that was instrumental in the establishment of the denomination of origin in 1982. The current regime dates to the late 1970s, when Pilar Pérez Albéniz took the helm of the family estate — a position she has held for over fifty years with relentless energy and conviction. In 2015, under her leadership, Torremilanos became the first Demeter-certified biodynamic winery in the Ribera del Duero appellation. In 2019, Pilar was awarded the inaugural ‘Ribera Heritage’ Award in recognition of her lifetime contribution to the region. Today, her sons Ricardo and Vicente work alongside her — Ricardo overseeing winemaking, Vicente managing sales — as the family continues to produce both traditionally styled and experimental wines from one of Spain’s most storied and quietly revolutionary estates.

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