It was great to see our new Garnacha Gris reviewed by Amaya Cervera in her Spanish Wine Lover publication last week.
We are really excited by this new variety from some of our younger vines and believe it makes truly vivid, original wine full of texture and vibrancy. We planted this vineyard in 2021 at an altitude of around 920m near the village of Villarroya de la Sierra in a plot known as El Bautista. Apparently, this Garnacha mutation was known locally as the grape of the dead because of its grey/purple skin colour.
Harvest took place on 18th September 2024 with grapes picked into 20kg cases and stored between 1 and 2 degrees in a cool room with controlled humidity for 72 hours before processing. The grapes were whole bunch pressed, cool, without sulphur or enzymes, to allow a natural cold settling, before the juice was racked to 5 x 500 litre neutral French oak barrels. Fermentation took place at ambient cellar temperatures in barrel and stayed on gross lees for one month, before racking and a light sulphuring, then a return to the same barrels to complete around 11 months sur lie before filtration and bottling.
You can read our 2024 vintage report here
Presented in an elegant, lighter weight (395g) cinnamon coloured bottle with no capsule. The label simply depicts the vines and their environment up in the clouds. We have hidden a tiny skull on the label as a nod to this variety’s local nickname but you’ll need to be particularly eagle eyed to spot it!
The glass content includes around 88% recycled glass and the label is made from sugar can and hemp. We aim to be as sustainable as possible.
Jacobo García Andrade, Senior Editor for James Suckling, gave this wine 93 points describing it as:
“very complex and fragrant with peaches, green mangoes and white flowers on the nose. The palate is saline and medium- to full-bodied with a subtle grip that harmonizes well with the wine’s salinity. Fresh and very attractive.“
Luis Gutiérrez, writing for The Wine Advocate, gave it 94 points saying:
“It has a slightly copper color, which is typical for the variety, with a peachy nose that has hints of apricots and is faintly tropical. The oak is neatly integrated … with good ripeness.“
