Garcia de Verdevique Tinto

ORGANIC / VEGAN / NATURAL

A lovely Spanish red from grapes grown at a staggering 1150-1400m altitude (Ben Nevis is 1350m), not far from the highest mountain in mainland Spain. Here the long ripening window provides a big, bold and juicy red, with a deep ruby-purple colour and aromas of black fruits, like blackberry and plum, as well as hints of leather and tobacco. On the palate it is dense and structured, with plenty of juicy fruit flavours such as blueberry and more blackberry, along with high tannins, a very dry mouthfeel, and fairly low acidity. There's no oak here, allowing the flavour-packed old vine grapes to really shine, and the wine is treated completely naturally both in and out of the cellar. 

Nestled amid the rugged terrain of the Contraviesa mountain range, on the Southern face of the Sierra Nevada, Garcia de Verdevique have been meticulously cultivating their vines, some of which are over 100 years old, for three generations. The southerly latitude means the days are long and sunny which extends the ripening period, but the fierce breeze and cool nights provided by the incredibly high altitude bring cooler temperatures, meaning the wines develop a notable complexity that makes them so special. The winemaking here is tough: too steep for any machinery, everything must be done by hand, and the climactic extremes mean they have to deal with everything from drought to frost damage! In spite of this, current caretaker Antonio doesn't use any type of external filtration or stabilisation, nor does he add any chemical elements, so that he can obtain a wine with the true heart and soul of the unique local terroir. 

Origin: Cumbres del Guadalfeo, Andalucía, Spain
Vintage: 2021
Grape variety: Tempranillo, Garnacha
Food pairing: Steak, Lamb, Grilled Meats, BBQ
Bottle size: 75cl
ABV: 15%