Cariñena– The Region to Watch
“I’ve found something” is the battle cry for this region. Even though this area was the birthplace for Garnacha, I had not personally tasted nor fully understood the quality and underappreciated value it possessions.
Firstly, the area without vineyards, would look more like a moonscape with its rocky soil. Even with vines, it is not your typical scenery of a vineyard! Yet they it does rain on the plains in Spain and the vines do seek out the life giving water. Cariñena is located in the high altitude region of Aragon in the northeast of Spain. It is about half way between Madrid and Barcelona. Cariñena has doubled its distribution in the US in the past year and has been cited by both Wine.com and Wine Enthusiast as the region to watch!
At the recent break out session at WBC17 held in Santa Rosa, California, we were fortunate enough to taste six wines from this area. This one wine was so compelling, I couldn’t wait to write about it. I keep copious notes on all wines tasted during the year and in December publish lists of the Best Wines of the year. I generally don’t pre-announce any specific wine, but this one I know has already made the list! It received my highest rating given to less than wines in 2017. If that wasn’t enough of an endorsement, let me talk a bit about this wine.
It is San Valero and is called 2012 Particular Centenarias. The Garnacha vines are 80-100 years old and is aged in the barrel for 12 months and 18 months in the bottle. The wine is as smooth as silk, yet “meaty enough” to pull leather and oak off the nose. Tasting it blasts out structure, intensity and unending complexity. Again, if this was not enough to take note of this wine, it sells in the USA for a pittance, perhaps as low as $30. Yes no zeros were missing! In the top wine of 2017, several will be in the $150-200 and this Garnacha will stand alone as the value of the year.
So I too have adopted their Battle Cry “I found something” – it is a great wine at an unbelievable value. Thanks Lyn Farmer for sharing the story.
Slainte,
http://www.sanvalero.com
http://www.lynfarmer.com
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