Bodegas Juan Carlos Sancha - Peña el Gato "Granito" Rioja Cosecha 2022

Juan Carlos Sancha founded his eponymous estate in 1997 in Baños de Río Tobía, in the Alto Najerilla, one of the coolest and most distinctive corners of Rioja. A winemaker, viticulturist and professor of viticulture, Sancha has devoted his career to preserving the region’s viticultural heritage, particularly its old Garnacha vineyards and a collection of nearly forgotten indigenous varieties. His 24 hectares of organically farmed vineyards are divided among small, densely planted parcels on poor, shallow, calcareous soils, with the cool Atlantic influence and significant day-to-night temperature swings of the Najerilla helping preserve freshness and aromatic definition. Alongside the centenarian Garnacha of Peña El Gato, Sancha’s Ad Libitum wines are born from his long-running work to recover Rioja’s minority varieties, including Maturana Tinta, Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco and Monastel de Rioja. The result is a remarkably individual expression of Rioja — wines made with minimal interference, where the character of the grape, vineyard and Alto Najerilla terroir take precedence.

The 2022 Peña El Gato Granito is an especially pure expression of old-vine Garnacha, with an alluring nose of ripe red berries, wild strawberry and red cherry lifted by violet, dried herbs and a subtle mineral note. The palate is supple and beautifully energetic, with juicy red fruit at the core, fine-grained tannins and a bright vein of acidity that keeps the wine remarkably fresh. A gentle savory quality emerges toward the finish, along with hints of crushed stone and a lightly saline impression that speak to its unusual eleven-month élevage in an unlined granite vessel. Elegant rather than heavy, this is Garnacha with both generosity and lift. Enjoy with grilled lamb chops, roast pork, wild mushroom dishes, grilled sausages or a simple plate of jamón and Manchego.