La Suerte de Arrayán 2017

Winemaker Maite Sánchez manages Garnacha vines in a continental climate, with extremes of cold. Out of them she crafts a full-bodied wine, layered with red berries, lusciously plump, followed by an underlying rasp of tannin. It’s a warm Garnacha, but carries the alcohol well. Organic.

A fresh and easy red with a very light body and vivid acidity that energizes the peach and cherry character. It’s medium-bodied. Fine textured. Drink now.

I tasted two vintages from their entry-level Garnacha from Gredos, starting with the 2017 La Suerte de Arrayán from a warm and challenging year. It feels more developed and delicate, with 15.5% alcohol and mellow acidity, more in the style of a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It was produced with grapes from the village El Real de San Vicente, fermented with 30% full clusters and matured in oak vat and barrels for one year. It's ready now. 11,118 bottles were filled in July 2020.