Notes
It's no wonder Michel Bettane called La Viña Escondida the best wine in Spain, the organically grown 90-year-old Garnacha vines sit on a peak in the Sierra de Gredos and produce some truly special fruit. The vines are situated such that they are exposed to the sun at all times of the day, thus achieving the ideal levels of ripeness.
Bright, vivid ruby red colour. On the nose, it has enormous complexity, with aromas of cherries, violets, smoked foods, plums, incense, raspberry, blackberry and woody notes, all tied together with hints of minerals. This wine really transports you to the mountains of central Spain.
On the palate, it’s silky and very fresh, easy-drinking, with pleasant, polished tannins. Long, velvety and full of freshness.
This is the epitome of what a terroir-driven wine should be, the perfect balance between the land, the vineyard, and the winemaker's talent.
Facts
Annual Production: 2,150 bottles (The club has access to 300 annually)
Type: Tinto (Red)
Body: Medium/Full
Palate: Dry
Finish: Smooth and Long
Grape Variety: 100% Old Vine Garnacha
Viticulture / Farming: Organic Farming - Terroir Driven
ABV%: 14.5
Ageing: 18 months in French oak barrels & 18 months in bottle
Winemakers: Alfonso Chacón, Belarmino Fernández & Lorena Díaz
Bodega: Canopy
Region: El Real de San Vicente, Sierra de Gredos, Toledo, Castilla-la Mancha
Designation of Origin (DOP): Méntrida
Micro-Climate: Continental - hot and dry summers and cool/mild in the winters
Elevation: 400 meters above sea level
Age of Vines: very old - 90 years
Soil: Granite & Silica
Tips
- Drink now or keep for up to 5 years
- Ideally, decant 20 minutes before serving
- Pairs with Tapas, Manchego or any cheese (cow, goat or sheep), Ibérico ham, Paté or any Spreads, Poultry, Pasta or Pizza, Legumes or Meat, typical Spanish dishes, all Mediterranean and Asian rice-based dishes spiced but not too hot.
- Ideal at 17-19 Celsius
Terroir
The Sierra de San Vicente nestled amidst the Tiétar (tributary of the Tagus) and the Tajo (Tagus) valleys, is located north of the Méntrida Designation of Origin and is under the influence of the Sierra de Gredos. It runs through an altitude of 750 meters above sea level.
This favourable microclimate can be felt at night when temperatures drop and aromas waft through the old Garnacha vineyards which turn them into veritable gardens perfectly suited to a harsh granitic and demanding land.
Vinification
The grape bunches are hand-selected in the vineyards during the early morning hours and transported in small crates to the winery. The bunches undergo pre-fermentation and cold maceration. The grapes are gently and manually pressed in the traditional way. The wine is then transferred to 2000 litre French oak foudres to undergo a slow malolactic fermentation for 18 months.
Winemakers
Canopy was founded by Alfonso Chacón and Belarmino Fernández with the vision of creating organic, low-intervention wines that show nuance and character. Their wines have gained international praise for their purity and quality, as the famed Michel Bettane said in Shanghai, they represent the “renaissance of wines in Spain”.
Among the top wineries producing organic wines and recuperating ancestral Garnachas located at a high altitude in the beautiful "Sierra de Gredos” not far from Madrid.
The vision of these oenologists, interested in what the terroir and the grape represent, has placed their wines at the same level as the best low-intervention French wines, perfectly defined by the term “vin de garage”.
Their wines derive their authenticity straight from the land, by selecting the best vines, caring for them sustainably, clearly identifying each plot with only one or two barrels, and blending them in the bottle to create something out of this world.
Click here to read more about the winery on their web
Ratings & Reviews
95 Points - Robert Parker (The Wine Advocate)
93 Points - Guia Peñin
Best wine in Spain - Michel Bettane
