The wine Signo Bobal de Manchuela from the house Finca Sandoval is an exciting showcase for the indigenous Bobal grape, which is practically only found in three Spanish wine areas, Manchuela, Utiel-Requena and Ribera del Júcar. The winery is located in the quite unknown region Manchuela, 400 km south of Barcelona, but it is nevertheless excellent in quality and can be compared to the very greatest in Spain. 

Signo Bobal de Manchuela is made from 90% Bobal grape and 10% Syrah. Only the ripest of grapes are selected and a bit of Syrah added to make the wine even more intense and complex. The colour is a deep ruby with a purple hue while the aromas are intense with cherry, dark berries and cedar wood as well as earthy notes from the long ageing in the bottle. Once the wine has been breathing for a while, fruity flavours of raspberry and black cherry appear balanced with delicious roasted notes, spices and balsamic nuances as well as mineral notes. The taste is powerful and complex and ends silky soft with a refreshing acidity and a long finish. 

Finca Sandoval was created in 1998 by wine journalist and food critic Victor de la Serna, who after tasting countless Spanish wines over the years decided to make a wine entirely from his own head, in collaboration with oenologist Rafael Orozco. The 26 hectares of organically grown vineyards are located 800 - 1200 meters above sea level. The oldest vines were planted as far back as the 1940s and 1960s and they produce low yields with highly concentrated grapes, resulting in wines with a complex bouquet, strength and elegance and finesse at the same time. The grapes are harvested by hand and the two different varieties ferment separately in small open tanks with frequent punching down the cap. The wine matures for 11 months in 225 and 300 litre oak barrels (85% French and 15% American). Victor de la Serna has low-intervention approach to wine making, and the wine is therefore bottled unclarified, unfiltered, and only a very small amounts of sulphites are added at bottling. Finca Sandoval maintain an impressive level of quality and is therefore certified Grandes Pagos d´España, and continues to achieve high marks in the international wine magazines and from wine critics such as Guía Peñín, Parker/Wine Advocate, Cellartracker, Stephen Tanzer and Vinous to mention a few.