Viticola Mentridana 'El Mentridano' Garnacha 2023

Taken from a site in the southern parts of Sierra de Gredos, this is made from 100% Garnacha grown in soils of sand over granite at approximately 6500m above sea level. As the Comando G wines have risen in price in recent years (they’re still outstanding quality) we have looked for something of a similar style at a more attractive price-point. In this wine we have found it. Red cherry fruit, some crunch, decomposed strawberry and garrigue. There’s gorgeous perfume and a hint of amaro bitterness. The wine initially seems quite juicy and meaty but then the complexity of it kicks-in. While only medium bodied, there are stoney/mineral notes throughout, guided by dried herb and a ferrous twang. The typical sweetness of Garnacha is toned-down and instead we have flavours of pomegranate and dehydrated red berry. Towards the back the palate tightens up, teases with some blood orange and then finishes with fine tannin. A lot going on in this wine making you come back time and time again. Can be served with a slight chill and will cellar for up to ten years. I love it and highly recommend it to you. – Ian Cook, Five Way Cellars.

The pale and ethereal 2023 El Mentridano has an herbal freshness (fig leaves), bright red fruit and floral aromas and a much more balanced palate and finer tannins. This is the effect of the cooler (or less warm) year, as they did similar vinification: 100% full clusters (they do not have a destemmer) fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts with a short maceration (to keep the fruit) and matured in those large vats (10,000 liters) and some foudres for around 10 months. It has contained ripeness and lower alcohol (14%) but especially great balance. 20,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2024. 92+ points, drink 2024-2029, Luis Gutierez, The Wine Advocate, July 2024.