2022 Envinate Vino de Mesa "Albahra", Castilla-La-Mancha, Spain

ABOUT THIS WINE

Albahra (Castilian for “small sea”) is named for the vineyard area in the Almansa region close to the town of Albacete, located at the southeastern tip of Castilla-La Mancha. A blend of 70% Garnacha Tintorera and 30% Moravia Agria. The Garnacha Tintorera (aka Alicante Bouschet, a red-juiced grape) is from a 3ha parcel vineyard on clay/calcareous soils. The Moravia Agria (a high-acid, low alcohol blending grape) is from a single vineyard on sandy clay-calcareous soils in neighboring Manchuela, which is pruned to get larger grapes, since there is only around 50ha of Moravia Agria left in Spain. All grapes are hand-harvested and vinified separately by parcel. The Garnacha Tintorera is foot-trodden in vat with 30-50% stems included and 6-10 days skin maceration, then fermented and raised on fine lees in concrete for 8 months. The Moravia Agria is completely destemmed and sees 7 days maceration before being pressed and raised on fine lees in 228L used French barriques for 8 months, all without battonage. The wine is then blended and bottled unfined, unfiltered and with very little SO2 addition. This is a wine with a pure high-toned nose, floral red fruit, with hints of spice and bursting with minerality. An extremely versatile food wine, especially with Mediterranean meats and seafood.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Envínate (translates as "wine yourself") is the brainchild of 4 friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez. This gang of 4 formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernandez in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a winemaking consultancy, which evolved into Envínate, a project that focuses on exploring distinctive parcels mainly in the Atlantic-inflected regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands. Their collective aim is to make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruño of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used in any of the Envínate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts, with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and concrete, and sulfur is only added at bottling, if needed. The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.