2010 Camino de Navaherreros Garnacha Vinos de Madrid

(all garnacha): Bright violet color. Highly perfumed aromas of strawberry and raspberry preserves, Asian spices and candied flowers. Reminds me a lot of a pinot noir, offering juicy red berry flavors and suggestions of star anise and cinnamon. Very fruity wine, with impressive finishing cut, precision and floral-driven persistence. (11/ 2011)

This is as elegant an example of Garnacha (aka, Grenache) as you are likely to find. Catalan winemaker Marc Isart Pinos is taking old vines, applying excellent viticultural work, fermenting in foudre (with some whole clusters used, as well as long maceration on the skins for further complexity/elegance), and bottling with a minimum of sulphur to create this beautiful, expressive wine. A good bit more tangy, racy, and serious than most grenache at this price, the Camino de Navaherreros is sure to please those who prefer layered nuance and energetic flavors. As far as food pairing is concerned, this 100% Garnacha would pair nicely with a range of seasonal dishes, though I think that it would be particularly good with braised lamb shanks or, now that I think of it and the season is approaching, maybe even some brisket and potato latkes. I cannot recommend this awesome wine highly enough. (Joe Manekin, K&L Spanish Wine Buyer)