Baltasar Gracián Viñas Viejas El Héroe 2021

The old-vine cuvée 2021 Baltasar Gracián Garnacha Viñas Viejas was produced with a selection of Garnacha from old vines at higher altitude in the cooler part of Calatayud. The destemmed but not crushed grapes fermented in concrete tanks at 25 degrees Celsius, and the wine matured in oak barrels and 5,000- and 10,000-liter oak vats for 10 months. It's ripe without excess at 14.7% alcohol, but like many of the wines, this is a completely different animal from previous years. This is a lot more elegant and fresh, the oak is very integrated, and the nose is a lot more perfumed. The palate is balanced and elegant, and the finish is remarkable with ripe berry and herb flavors, really showy; it feels more southern à la Châteauneuf, juicy and tasty. This is the best showing for this cuvée ever. 60,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2022