Mario Rovira Viticultor - Akilia

Mario Rovira is a young Catalan grower who is taking Spain by storm with his beautiful and elegant wines. He had the opportunity to work at La Fleur Petrus with Jean Claude Berrouet, where he says he learned one of the most important aspects of his winemaking style: balance. He also worked in Sancerre, New Zealand and California, in a biodynamic winery in Napa. When he returned to Spain in 2010, with the help of his family, he started his own winery in Bierzo (in northwestern Spain). From the start he was searching for altitude, slopes, good soils, native varieties and old bush vines. He began his production in Bierzo renting two 70-year-old parcels, and in 2013 started buying vineyards he carefullt chose. They now own 4.5 HA of parcels ranging from 96 to 118 years.

When the Romans arrived in Bierzo, they were fascinated by the sheer magnitude of the mountains they found. Flying above, they saw a vast number of "Aquilias" (eagles), and this is how the name for the mountains was born: Aquilianos Mountains . Mario's vineyards are on the slopes of these mountains, with soils of quartz, slate, and loamy clay. He works with Palomino Fino (white) and Mencía (red). All of his precious grapes are hand picked and handled with care to bring you fresh, mineral, elegant, and balanced wines. 

Mario was born in Barcelona and always dreamed of making Mediterranean wines. In 2017 he got the chance to rent a seafront 3.5 HA parcel in the town of Tiana (province of Barcelona), a slope planted with 35-year-old bush vines on granitic soils in the Serralada de Marina natural park. In 2018, together with his lovely wife Maria, they made their first vintage, looking for a more fresh Mediterranean style, with salinity, flowers and less concentration, and aging in old manzanilla (sherry) barrels. This is how La Flamenca was born!