Marques de la Musa Garnacha Reserva 2010

In 1945 a group of 60 local grape growers united around a vision of hands-on control of their wine, from ground to glass. Known as Bodegas San Valero, the winemaking group is now led by Julio Prieto, an advocate of maintaining old-vine production of garnacha, the region’s native grape. Gnarled rows of 70-year-old vines dig deep into the complex amalgam of glacial and alluvial stone soil in the foothills outside of Cariñena, the small town the winemakers call home. A combination of moderate elevation and a cool northerly wind known as El Cierzo gives the grapes a long ripening season, allowing flavors to mature and deepen.