A Valencia Winery Turns Bobal And Macabeo Into Kosher Terroir You Can Taste

Light a candle and pour a glass—this is the story of a Sephardic family reclaiming Spanish terroir through kosher wine, one amphora at a time. We head to the high hills outside Valencia with Armando Caracena-Molco of Viña Memorias to taste old-vine Bobal and Macabeo that wear history on their sleeves and clay on their skins. Unico, their flagship red, comes from pre-phylloxera vines planted in 1903 and is raised entirely in tinajas—handmade clay vessels whose makers, in a remarkable twist, have stamped them with a Star of David for generations. It’s memory, craft, and place converging in a single bottle.

We dig into why these wines feel different: altitude between 700 and 900 meters, calcareous-clay soils, Mediterranean winds, and dry farming that lets deep roots do the work. Amphora vs oak becomes a masterclass in texture and purity—amphora delivers micro-oxygenation without wood flavors, allowing Bobal’s red-fruited intensity and polished tannins to shine. Then we contrast that with Finca Cerezal, a French-oak-aged Bobal that shows the grape’s elegant side, and Memorias del Rambam, a classic American-oak expression that nods to Spain’s traditional profile while honoring Maimonides.

Sparkling lovers get a treat: Requena’s altitude-driven Cava made from old-vine Macabeo, method tradicional, and extended lees aging. Expect pinpoint bubbles, almond pastry on the nose, stone fruit and citrus on the palate, and a clean, persistent finish that invites head-to-head comparisons with champagne. We talk disgorgement dates, why most Cava skips malolactic fermentation, and how precision bubbles can shift expectations in the kosher market. We close with Alcunia, a still Macabeo aged in amphorae on fine lees, bone-dry, saline, layered, and quietly powerful.

Across every glass runs the same current: unity and return. A mother from Aix-en-Provence, a father of the land, brothers spread across continents, and a choice to make kosher wines that speak clearly of Valencia’s heights, clay, and light. If you’re ready to discover Bobal, rediscover Macabeo, and taste a story that loops from exile to home, press play and join us at the table. If you enjoyed the journey, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more curious drinkers can find us.

Contact Details
Armando Caracena-Molco WhatsApp +34686452612

• Viña Memorias Winery, Calle Carretera de Madrid, San Antonio, Spain
• +34669043007
• contact@vinamemorias.com

Chapters

• 0:00 Host Opening And Dedication
• 0:44 Journey To Valencia And Viños Memorias
• 2:04 Bobal And Macabeo As Identity
• 4:16 Unico: Old Vines And Clay Amphoras
• 8:24 Family Roots And Founding The Winery
• 10:49 Tinajas vs Oak: Purity And Texture
• 14:58 Soil, Altitude, And Terroir Of Levante
• 18:35 Roles In A Far-Flung Family Business
• 23:03 Memorias Del Rambam And American Oak
• 26:40 Two Faces Of Bobal: Amphora And French Oak
• 33:15 Joshua London Joins The Tasting
• 36:09 Making Amphoras And The Star Of David Stamp
• 40:32 Ungrafted Vines, Dry Farming, Resilience
• 44:08 Cava In Requena: Altitude And Finesse
• 47:04 Macabeo Brut Reserva: Bubbles And Balance
• 53:20 Disgorgement Dates And Aging On Lees
• 56:45 Champagne Comparisons And Precision Bubbles
• 1:00:20 Israel Market Acceptance And Sparkling Wave
• 1:03:55 Alcunia: Still Macabeo In Clay
• 1:10:20 Minimal Intervention And Closing Thanks