Winemaker Notes
La Zarcita is one of two wines that Alvear produces in conjunction with Envinate at the Palacio Quemado estate, where the team of Envinate has produced their own label for quite some time. The philosophy of this wine is to blend different indigenous varieties from the single Palacio Quemado estate to produce a young and fresh expression of the terroir of Extremadura.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A more brambly and leafy edge with some dried roses and red currants. The crunchy, even tannins thread together nicely.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Garnacha Tintorera grapes from limestone, clay and sand soils. In 2015 they also planted red Garnacha with the idea to include it in future vintages of this blend. There was more rain than average in 2016, and that allowed the ripening cycle to be longer, which is something really good in a region like this. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts followed by malolactic and eight months in new and second use 500-liter French oak barrels. It's very floral and perfumed, with a captivating nose. It's still a straightforward red but with more depth than in previous vintages and especially great freshness. 2016 seems like a very good vintage in the zone. The palate is approachable and soft, with very good acidity. And it's a bargain!
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.