The Bomb Box
Nov‘ 23
Featuring an aromatic, structured and mineral white from the grape Albillo Real, and two Garnachas from up in the Sierra de Gredos. These two Garnachas express a significant difference to the common Spanish Garnacha style but also show the amount of diversity in the profiles of the Garnachas that are grown within this small mountainous region.
Bodegas Arrayán, La Suerte de Arrayán Albillo Real 2022
Region: Almorox, Méntrida, Spain (40.23512577066499, -4.376647637952401))
Grape: Albillo Real (100%)
Ageing: 8 months in French oak barrels.
Vinification: The grapes were cold-soak macerated for two days before pressing. Fermentation in steel with native yeasts.
Farming style: Certified organic
Soil: Granitic sandy soils
Vine age: 50+ years
Notes: This wine from Bodegas Arrayán is a stunning example of the potential for precision and mineral complexity that the grape Albillo Real can possess. The poor, sandy soils of the plains of Méntrida that sit at 600m of altitude give the wine an opulent aromatic fruitiness that is kept in check by crunchy, structured acidity and a lingering mineral complexity. Bodegas Arrayán was established in 1999 as part of a large family-owned estate. Since their beginning, they have invested in organic and sustainable viticulture and have come to produce some incredible wines, but it’s their latest projects that are what really draw the attention. Working closely with local wine heritage societies, they are working to recover ancient varieties of local grapes that, for all intents and purposes, have been considered extinct. From, in some cases, as little as a single vine they are cloning these nearly lost varieties and planting them once again in quantity in their native soil. The grape Mizancho is one such variety, thought to be lost, it was erased from the local DO’s permitted varieties but now once again it grows with vigour with its first wines set to be released next year. Keep an eye out!
Pairing suggestion: This wine is fruity and aromatic in the nose but backed by some keen acidity and minerality. This wine would pair incredibly with fish dishes or perhaps a plate of clams in the famous Portuguese style of Bulhão Pato. We enjoyed this wine with some brie (could be any other light, creamy cheese, however) and quince jam on toast and the combination was exceptional - keep that in mind too! Serve at ~10 degrees Celsius.
Ca’ Di Mat, Valautín Garnacha 2022
Region: San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Sierra de Gredos, Spain (40.330458875145744, -4.3973601542402045)
Grape: Garnacha (100%)
Ageing: One year of ageing with the wine split, one half in cement tanks and the other in French oak barrels
Vinification: Harvested through the night to combat high temperatures, the wine was gently fermented with native yeasts and 20% of the stems in large wooden foudres.
Farming style: Organic with additional biodynamic methods
Soil: Granite
Vine age: 100+ years
Notes: Valautín (in Piemontes, the owner Pablo’s native tongue) means valley of small vineyards. They use this name to describe their Garnacha which is made with grapes from a small selection of prized old vines that are grown in tiny parcels throughout a small valley that sits just to the south of San Martín de Valdeiglesias. The soils here are a mix of various types of granite which is common in the region and the altitude of the vineyards is around 800m. The terroir, as well as the gentle vinification of this wine, combine to produce a wine that is light and agile with a dancing acidity that deepens into delicate notes of balsamic sour cherries. The project was founded by Paolo from the Piedmont region of Italy and Victoria who is a local to San Martín. The wines they produce show unique balance between the intensity of the Spanish Garnacha and the dazzling acidity of the Piedmont Nebbiolo’s that are produced on Paolo’s home town.
Pairing suggestions: This wine is delicate and elegant so powerful flavours may well overwhelm it. The perfect pairing would be something creamy and autumnal, like poultry with cranberries or a risotto with seasonal mushrooms. Serve at ~15-20 degrees Celsius
SotoManrique, Laderas de la Mira 2021
Region: Cebreros, Sierra de Gredos, Spain (40.45710590450541, -4.479108577133127)
Grape: Garnacha (100%)
Ageing: 12 months in large wooden foudres.
Vinification: The grapes were fermented with native yeasts in cement tanks with 30% of the stems included.
Farming style: Organic
Soil: Slate and Quartz
Vine age: 80+ year old vines.
Notes: La Mira (the view) is a special vineyard of old Garnacha vines that sits at over 1000m of altitude overlooking the town of Cebreros which sits some 200m below. Here in this vineyard the soils deviate from the standard granite, and instead are made up of a stunning blend of slate and quartz. As you walk through the gnarled old vineyard dotted with centenarian olive trees, the quartz crystals, glimmering in the sunlight, catch the eye. This soil gives a very unique expression to the wine which is more concentrated in colour and balsamic, with bitter black olive notes, than the standard Garnachas of the area. This vineyard is just one of a number of prized old vineyards that make up the collection of vineyards belonging to Jesús ‘Chuchi’ Soto Esteban, the founder of the project SotoManrique. From these varied parcels that are dotted around the hills surrounding the town of Cebreros, he makes a diverse array of Garnacha’s that give new definition to the term ‘micro-terroir’.
Pairing suggestions: Although agile and delicate on the palate, this wine possesses a little more concentration and weight than the Vaulatín, leaning deeper into the bitter side of Garnacha. This being the case, the wine can handle dishes with a little more power, such as steak or game, the bold acidity of the wine being able to cut through the fat. Still, however, in order to see the wine at its best it is my suggestion to err on the lighter side in order to ensure the wine has room to shine. I paired it up with a spicy tomato and white bean stew and it was great!