Winemaker Notes
An authentic wine produced from the original Garnacha, which was first cultivated in Aragón in the 7th Century, and spread around Europe by the Medieval Kingdom of Aragón. Calatayud produces a unique expression of Garnacha due to its geographic and climactic conditions. As Spain's highest altitude region for the production of Garnacha, the temperature swings are radical - up to 60°F in the summer. This produces wines with deep color and character, as well as lively acidity. Breca El Nacido is Bodegas Breca's freshest and most fluid interpretation of the old mountain vineyards of Calatayud.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A deliciously fruity garnacha that has blueberries, baked strawberries and blood oranges on the nose, plus a hint of chocolate. It’s full-bodied, ripe and juicy, yet with tension and a minty freshness too.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 El Nacido is a primary, fruit-driven and ripe Garnacha with good ripeness (14.5% alcohol) but also freshness and balance. It fermented with uncrushed grapes in stainless steel and matured in used 600-liter barrels for six to eight months. There's no noticeable oak, and the wine is juicy and primary, with fine, chalky tannins and a pleasant mouthfeel.
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Wine Spectator
A lively red, offering a focused range of pureed raspberry, blood orange peel, dried thyme and lavender, and hot stone flavors, all set in a balanced, medium-bodied frame.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
Calatayud DO is a wine region tucked into northern Spain’s regions just south of Rioja, about 55 miles (90km) from the provincial capital, Zaragoza. When Calatayud attained DO status in the 90s, it rapidly became Aragon’s second largest quality wine-producing region after its neighbor, Cariñena. Since then, it has focused on upgrading and perfecting its wines with progressive improvements in both cooperatives and private bodegas. Similarly, there has been substantial investment in new technology, winemaking system, and vineyard research. Thanks to this, Calatayud wines are now beginning to show their true potential.
The principle red grape varieties grown are Garnacha Tinta, Tempranillo, Syrah, Bobal, Monastrell.
Many of the new wineries are exploring the potential of the Garnacha grape. A new category of red wines called Calatayud Superior is made from red Garnacha from low yield vines that are at least 50 years old.
The principal white grape varieties in Calatayud are Macabeo, Garnacha Blanca, Malvasía and Chardonnay.