Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Produced from vines up to 100 years old in high-altitude, mostly slate soils. Steel-fermented, followed by six months aging in oak. The nose speaks of cherry, cranberry, and slate, but is quite bright. There's a spiced lushness on the palate, and a freshness despite the five years in bottle. Juiced cranberries are tart and slightly salty. Roses and savory herbs match with a slate finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Viñas Viejas de Paniza is produced with the fruit from their older Garnacha vineyards on slate soils at high altitude, around 800 meters and aged for six months in barrel. The wine is quite dark, ripe and brooding, with tantalizing aromas of wet earth, graphite and blackberries making for a quite attractive nose that's different to other wines from the region. It reminds me perhaps of a Priorat. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with fine-grained, earthy tannins and good freshness and depth. Quite impressive, and very good value.
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.
This northeastern Spanish town is believed to be the origin of the grape with the same name. However, Carinena (in French, known as Carignan) has all but been abandoned in favor of Garnacha, which is better suited for its arid climate. The region of Carinena also produces fine examples of whites based on Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Parellada and others.