Altolandon Dulce Enero is a remarkable Spanish sweet wine made from Petit Manseng grapes left hanging on the vine until the depths of winter. Rather than relying on botrytis or drying the fruit after harvest, the grapes are picked in January only when temperatures have remained below -5°C for several days, naturally freezing the water inside each berry. Pressing the fruit while it is still frozen produces an intensely concentrated juice packed with sugar, acidity and flavour. The result is golden and luscious, with tropical fruit, peach and apricot joined by candied citrus, honey and gentle spice. Yet what makes Dulce Enero so compelling is its freshness. Petit Manseng’s naturally high acidity, combined with Altolandon’s extreme altitude, keeps the sweetness beautifully balanced, giving the wine energy rather than heaviness. Rich enough for blue cheese or dessert but fresh enough to work with savoury food, this is a rare and fascinating expression of Manchuela.
Altolandon Dulce Enero Ice Wine, Producer
Bodega Altolandon is based near Landete in Manchuela, in the province of Cuenca, and is owned and run by winemaker Rosalía Molina. The estate is particularly remarkable for its altitude: vineyards reach around 1,100 metres above sea level, placing Altolandon among Spain’s highest wineries. Days can be intensely sunny, but temperatures drop considerably at night, creating a wide diurnal range that helps grapes ripen slowly while preserving natural acidity.
Rosalía’s approach centres on organic farming and minimal intervention. The vineyards are certified organic, natural fertilisers are used instead of synthetic alternatives, and biodiversity is encouraged throughout the property. Chickens, sheep and pigs from nearby farms are even allowed to move through parts of the vineyards. Grapes are picked by hand, fermentations rely on native yeasts, and cellar intervention is kept to a minimum. The estate describes freshness, fruit and minerality as the common thread running through its wines, qualities closely connected to its altitude, cool conditions and poor soils.
Altolandon Dulce Enero Ice Wine, Terroir & Winemaking
Dulce Enero is made from 100% Petit Manseng, a grape particularly well suited to sweet-wine production because it can accumulate substantial sugar while retaining naturally high acidity. At Altolandon, the grapes are deliberately left on the vines far beyond the normal harvest and are not picked until January, when sufficiently cold weather has frozen them naturally.
For the harvest to begin, temperatures must remain below approximately -5°C for at least five days, while not dropping below around -13°C. Because those conditions do not occur reliably every winter, Dulce Enero can only be made when nature allows it. The frozen, healthy grapes are harvested manually and pressed quickly while ice crystals are still present inside the berries. Because water freezes before the sugars and flavour compounds, much of the frozen water remains behind during pressing, leaving a tiny quantity of exceptionally concentrated juice.
Fermentation takes place slowly in small stainless-steel tanks using indigenous yeasts and can last two to three months because of the must’s high sugar concentration. The wine receives no oak ageing and is produced without added sulphites; clarification and stabilisation occur naturally through sedimentation.
Altolandon Dulce Enero Ice Wine, Tasting Notes
Deep golden in colour, moving towards amber, with an intense and immediately generous nose. Peach, apricot and ripe tropical fruit lead the aromas, followed by candied citrus peel, honey and a gentle suggestion of sweet spice.
The palate is concentrated and luscious, with ripe stone fruit, white peach and tropical flavours supported by a rich honeyed quality. Despite the sweetness, vibrant acidity runs through the wine and prevents it from becoming cloying. There is also an attractive mineral streak beneath the fruit, giving the palate greater definition.
Apricot, citrus and honey continue into a long, persistent finish, where sweetness is balanced by freshness and a subtle spicy character. It is an indulgent wine, but its combination of acidity and minerality means the final impression remains surprisingly clean and energetic.
Altolandon Dulce Enero Ice Wine, Food pairing suggestion: Blue Cheese, Pear and Walnut Tart
Did you know?
The name Dulce Enero translates as “Sweet January”, a wonderfully literal reference to the extraordinary timing of the harvest.
Unlike many dessert wines, the concentration here happens while the grapes are still hanging on the vine. Harvest only begins once temperatures remain below -5°C for several days and the berries have frozen. The frozen fruit then has to be pressed before the ice crystals melt.
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