Wines

90 Points! The village red 2019 El Reflejo was produced with Bobal grapes from 15 separate plots in the process of being certified organic in Casas de Benítez and Pozoamargo close to the Júcar River, all within five kilometers of each other on limestone soils. In 2019, they harvested earlier, looking for more freshness, and with slightly higher yields guided from the pruning. They used 50% full clusters in the fermentation in 3,300-liter stainless steel vats that was quite soft, with a total time of 21 days. The wine matured in a combination of tinajas, concrete vats and 225- and 500-liter oak barrels for a total of 14 months. It's floral and perfumed, quite showy, open an expressive with a medium-bodied palate, focused flavors and fine tannins. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

From the importer: Bush-trained Cannonau (also known as Grenache) from a vineyard called Sas de Melas, at 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) above sea level, near the village of Mamoiada. This altitude is unusual for red wines, and gives the wine uncommon freshness (cooler night-time temperatures at altitude mean higher acidity in the grapes). The vines were planted in 2004 and 2010 in soil based on decomposed granite.

The grapes are picked in late September or early October, de-stemmed and crushed, and fermentation begins using indigenous yeasts only, encouraged by a a ‘pied de cuve'* (Luca believes that cultured yeasts don’t give a wine that truly is representative of place.) The wine is left in contact with the skins for 10-12 days, then pressed off. The wine is aged for about 6 months in stainless steel tanks, lightly fined, then bottled without filtration.