Daniel Ramos 2017 'El Altar' Garnacha, Spain (Sierra de Gredos)

Daniel Ramos 2017 'El Altar' Garnacha, Spain (Sierra de Gredos)

Item Number: 15970

UPC: None

Country: Spain
Region: Castilla y Leon
Sub Region: Sierra de Gredos
Appellation/AVA: Vino de Espana
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Vintage: 2017
Grape(s): 98% Garnacha / 2% Chelva
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 15
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
Soil Type: Granitic Sand
Case Production: 137

El Altar Garnacha is one of the special, rare, and top wines from Daniel Ramos in Cebreros (Sierra de Gredos Mountains).

The high elevation grapes are all organically grown over granitic sand. This is a blend of 98% Garnacha and 2% Chelva (a white grape variety grafted on Rupestris de Lot) with an average age of 65-90 years old.

The grapes are harvested by hand near the end of September, sorted, and 100% destemmed. Alcoholic fermentation happens with indigenous yeast for 20 days, maceration with the skins for 25 days. The wine is then racked and continues to age for 12 months in neutral 600-liter French oak barrels. El Altar Garnacha is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with a minimal amount of SO2 at bottling. Annual production is around 1,650 bottles and 46 magnums.

Reviews

  • The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 91 (4/23/2020)

    The 2017 Zerberos El Altar is from a north-facing plot of Garnacha on sandy granite soils in the village of El Barraco in Ávila. The low-yielding year and the warm summer delivered a wine with 15.67% alcohol, despite which it is a little more delicate and has less rusticity, more floral aromas, notes of spices and wild herbs denoting a Mediterranean vintage. The palate is lighter than expected, with fine minerality, elegant tannins and a granite texture.