Wine cognoscenti have been excited about Spain’s Sierra de Gredos region for a while now. There, you'll find old, old vines, distinctive granite soils, and steep slopes. Pruning, treating, plowing and harvesting all entail backbreaking work; as more and more young people move to the cities, and away from agriculture, the Gredos is almost lost to time.
Of course, not entirely. Some of Spain’s most important winemakers have projects here, from the legendary-in-their-own time Comando G to roving enologist Raúl Perez. In the Gredos, Garnacha becomes something ethereal, almost otherworldly. The poor soils, the high elevation, the ancient vines — these all work together to impart real finesse and elegance to a grape that many have written off as boozy, brash and basic.
One of the most exciting Gredos projects we’ve tasted recently comes from Las Pedreras, a new protect from wunderkind winemaker Bárbara Requejo Frutos and Guzmán Sánchez de la Parra, a Gredos native and restauranteur. Bárbara, a Ribera del Duero native, is young (we’re not sure she’s 30 yet), but her resumé is impressive, with stints at Haut-Brion, Pierre Péters, and Peay under her belt. Here are glowy examples of the many faces Garnacha can show, from pale pink rosé (with or without bubbles) to garnet-red, crisp and aromatic to bold and textured.
Professional Reviews
Robert Parker
Details
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Grape Variety
Tempranillo
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Vintage
2022
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Size
750ml
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Farming Practice
Organic
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Style
Fruity , Minerally
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Sweetness
Dry
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Body
Medium Bodied