“Working in the wine culture in Spain is important to support the region, the economy and the people”
TEXT: ÁNGEL MARTOS PHOTO: ALBERTO CARRASCO
“We have always refused to accept that there is no way out of the complex situations that life confronts us with”, declared Carlos Moro, founder and president of the Bodega Matarromera winery, in his acceptance speech for the award for the Best Initiative in the Agricultural Sector. This biennial award recognizes this company’s commitment to the region, innovation and sustainability. It can be found in six Designations of Origin (Rueda, Ribera del Duero, Cigales, Toro, Rioja and Ribeiro) and has more than 30 years of experience in the sector. Today, one of these complex situations is climate change, which the winery is fighting against through its commitment to organic wines and by reducing the carbon footprint of its products. This has made its wines a benchmark on both the domestic and international wine scenes. Carlos Moro is an agricultural engineer and a civil servant in the senior corps of Spain’s civil administrators. He is also one of those people who sparks vocations: after meeting him, one cannot help but think that making wine must be an exciting job.
You seem to be a person who has fulfilled many dreams.
There are so many left. For me, creating value in the countryside, in those 35 villages, continues to be a constant dream. Providing quality employment, being able to establish and maintain a population, helping disadvantaged groups through the Carlos Moro de Matarromera Foundation… Our work is very important due to the potential that wine culture has in Spain as an axis to connect the land, the economy and the people.
And under the banner of environmental protection
In terms of promoting the whole issue of sustainability and the environment, we are certainly a benchmark. Many other companies have been watching what we have been doing and have even seen that it is positive for improving their competitiveness.
Was it always like that?
Matarromera was set up with a more limited investment at the beginning, but very in a very sustainable way. In fact, I designed it like the old wineries, which were buried in the ground to protect them from the heat. The first thing I had in mind was to make the best wine, because this is our livelihood, and in fact we succeeded in doing so.
With its first vintage, in 1994, the Matarromera Crianza won the title of Best Wine in the World at the International Organization of Wine competition in Spain.
Yes, and as soon as I could, I formed the research department, and we began to move forward, to carry out European projects and also to do this in a sustainable way.
In this area, is Emina (Ribera del Duero) your best example?
It is our model, which has won numerous awards… An integral project focused on sustainable development that applies all these aspects, always based on making the best wine, because if you don’t achieve this, if people don’t want to drink it, then you don’t sell any.
Does sustainability also mean returning to traditions?
Absolutely, because, for example, one of our most important tasks is to maintain and restore all the old and not-so-old vineyards. And we have turned these over to the production of special, estate wines, which I sponsor with my CM brand.
How is climate change affecting your fields?
In 2011, we took part in a European study in which we demonstrated that climate change is indeed taking place, with changes in drought levels and water requirements, the timing of the grape harvest, and so on.
How does this influence the wines you produce?
It ends up affecting the aromas, how they are produced, it influences the ripening point, when we harvest… Studying this has helped us to anticipate problems.
And this recent summer with its historically high temperatures, how did this affect the harvest?
It was the lowest yielding harvest I have experienced in the past thirty years.
We imagine that this is a generalized problem, right?
Yes, as they say in the countryside, when it rains, it rains for everyone…. Then comes the ability, the determination of each winery to look for another type of harvest, to apply oenological techniques to get the most out of it, to complement it appropriately, blend it, and so on.
What will your next innovation be?
We are pioneering the disruptive non-alcoholic wines, Win, through which we are contributing value to society, to healthy eating… It is not that wine is not healthy, but simply that this new product is compatible with other circumstances, situations, illnesses, and religions. And this is a challenge that has been addressed in Spain.
You are already used to receiving accolades, so what was it like to be chosen for the Fundación MAPFRE award?
The fact that it has been awarded to us seems to be enormous good fortune. I think it was based on the merits of our team, of our people, of our family, and precisely for this reason we are thrilled and delighted.