There’s a lovely off the beaten track mountain wilderness (salvaje means wild) to this old-vine Garnacha (aka Grenache), one of six under the the creative Vintae’s Proyecto Garnachas banner that showcase the grape variety from old vineyards in different areas of the Ebro Valley in northeast Spain.
Like Gamay and Zinfandel, the old vines of Grenache are a timeless wonder. They are the Clint Eastwood of vitis vinifera: gnarled by age with a tough-as-nails exterior and no sign of retirement on the horizon. What they lack in quantity, they make up for in quality: grape clusters from old-vine Grenache (think 60-100 years old) can create wines of supple fruit, spicy character and rocket-fueled energy. This one is no exception, the Salvaje vineyards lie on rocky soils at 820m above sea level, on the north face of the Moncayo massif mountain chain, where Navarra and Aragón meet and the Atlantic influence brings mouthwatering freshness and clarity to the generous raspberry, wild herb and pepper flavours this wine induces. It doesn’t need food, but it’s very accommodating: spot on with roast peppers, aubergine, tomatoes and onions and with spicy sausages such as chorizo. It would be equally good with roast root vegetables, slow-roast lamb or pork, baked spiced duck legs or a ham joint and would make a good barbecue all-rounder.
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