Winemaker Notes
Deep cherry color, on the nose it presents intense aromas of ripe red fruit (raspberry) that combine perfectly with the spicy notes of cocoa, vanilla and licorice that respond to a noble aging. Powerful and full on the palate with a very fresh and fruity mid palate, but tasty and complex, mineral, with a remarkable finish where the fruity and spicy aromas reappear in the retronasal. Magnificent expression of an elegant Aragonese Garnacha with very ripe tannins.
Wine of great versatility that can be paired with game meat or creamy rices, stewed vegetables, mushrooms, game and poultry, casseroles, sauced fish and seafood, cured and blue cheeses, grilled red and white meats, roast lamb, pork, beef.
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.