2019 Ca' di Mat Los Peros Garnacha

Region: Sierra de Gredos, Spain

Grape: Garnacha

Culinary Suggestions: Tapas, Chorizo, Paella, Game Meats

Vineyard Practice: Sustainable

About

I am really happy to be able to bring the superb wines produced by Curro Bareño and Jesus Olivares at Ca’ di Mat (meaning ''Crazy House" in Italian) to Australia. Having held a passion for wines produced from Grenache, or Garnacha here, for my whole career I was bowled over by the wines from Spain's Sierra de Gredos upon first tasting them some years ago. 

Stylistically they are truly sui generis - mountain wines from ancient bush vines, grown on decomposed granitic soils between 600-1000m altitude. This means they are taut, crisp and pure in style, relatively low in alcohol for Grenache and somewhat lighter in colour too. These are athletic mountain wines though, they have a tension and vigour that put's them up there with the very very best.

The estate has 20 hectares of 30-80 year old vines which are cultivated organically and include Garnacha and Albillo. Much of the vineyard land is under recovery and this is being undertaken slowly to ensure the old vines have a chance to recover, rather than replanting. It is a continental climate with annual average at rainfall 600 mm and annual average temperature of only 13,7 º C.

Wine making is along the minimal intervention path that we like; indigenous yeasts, cold gentle macerations and the use of whole brunches produce delicate, fragrant and ethereal wines to fascinate and delight.

We look forward to bringing these beautiful wines to you here in Australia! - Importer Note

Tasting Notes

The red 2019 Los Peros Garnacha comes from an 80-year-old vineyard in the Andrinoso zone of San Martín de Valdeiglesias. 2019 was a very dry and moderate vintage with some rain during harvest, and the wine has ripeness but disguised alcohol and great freshness. It fermented with full clusters and had a two-month maceration in plastic bins, then it matured in neutral 500-liter French oak barrels for one year. It feels fresher than the 2019 Fuente de los Huertos that I tasted next to it. This is very aromatic, floral and fresh, terribly balanced and nuanced, with vibrant minerality, a beautiful texture and a supple, almost salty finish. This seems better than previous vintages, finer and narrower. 1,300 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2021.

94 points - Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate November 2021

Drink: 2021 - 2027