2016 Vinos del Viento "Montaña La Ermita de Santa Bárbara" Garnacha Campo de Borja

Staff Reviews

KW

Kirk Walker

Kirk Walker

This is Garnacha! From a single vineyard of red sandstone soils that is 900 meters in elevation, the vines are bush trained, dry farmed and are over fifty years old. Fermented in a mixture of new and used French oak and concrete and aged for 12 months in barrel, this wine demands your attention. It is medium to full bodied, it is round with super polished tannins and a fresh finish. The flavors travel the spectrum of Garnacha fruit, red berries, plums, a hint of orange blossom, herbs, smoke, dusty mineral and an umami note. The aromas and flavors roll and evolve starting from the first sip. There is so much going on here flavor wise yet it leaves you with one thought, "dang! that's good". hedonistic and intellectual, I'm in trouble! This wine is seriously crushable wine.

DO

Dejah Overby

Dejah Overby

For those seeking the perfect expression of old bush vine Garnacha, look no further because this is the one! Campo De Borja (DO), known for its dark bearing, well-draining soils consisting of large rocky pebbles and a unique micro-climate makes this a very special single vineyard bottling that is quite enjoyable. Think about a wine that this attractive price that is suitable for early enjoyment but can age as long as you have the patience to allow it. The introduction on the nose begins with black cherry, cranberry compote, sweet tobacco, smoked cedar plank and black volcanic salt. On the palate there is a concise preciseness of concentrated red berries along with gratifying tension that shows a merging of weight and length that is stunning. There is a special character to this wine and should not be missed for those looking for over delivering, crowd pleasing juice that is a perfect paring for a weekend of grilled meats generously seasoned with exotic spices, this wine can handle it all.

Notes

Vinos del Viento is the most recent Spanish addition to our Direct Import portfolio. It is a project that focuses on Garnacha and Cariñena (Grenache and Carignan) from the region that is the origin for both varieties, Aragon. All of the DOs of Aragon are represented in their lineup—Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Carinena and Somontano. Winemaker Michael Cooper, who is a native of California, looks for purity and freshness in his wine. To do so he has sought out older vineyards that are found at higher elevations. The youngest vines are 35 years old and the oldest are 99 and the lowest elevation in 1800 feet. These are wines for everyday, and priced accordingly—but they are not simple wines. While they are delicious (and if you are looking for no more than that these wines are hard to beat), if you want more than that the wines also speak of their varietals and regions with some depth and complexity. Named after the winds that temper the region’s warm climate, these wines are a bridge from the old world to the new, perfectly representing a Californian making Spanish wines.