Ataulfos 2021

A dark, dense Grenache that holds power and tension in balance. The youthful tannic structure and acidity give it energy and demand attention, while the long finish points to excellent ageing potential. Be sure to decant and serve in large glasses.

The vines grow in Méntrida at 900 metres above sea level, on sandy, granite-based soil. In 2004, cousins José and Daniel Jiménez-Landi took over their grandparents' estate, founded in 1963; since their split in 2013, José has run the property alone. In the higher vineyards he works strictly biodynamically, following the lunar calendar and applying horn manure and horn silica preparations.

A single-varietal Grenache from 70-year-old vines, hand-harvested. Fermentation takes place in steel tank with wild yeasts, after which the wine ages for 20 months in French barriques and large oak casks. It is bottled without filtration or stabilisation. Total production is 1,200 bottles.

The nose shows real intensity: cassis, sweet blueberries, mocha, cinnamon and cardamom, along with pronounced toasty notes and clear hints of rosemary, juniper and thyme. The palate is saline, complex and multi-layered, with a subtle sweetness that stays well integrated.

A wine for bold cuisine with concentrated sauces: pasta with black truffle, duck with lavender-honey crust and cassis sauce with liquorice gnocchi, or venison medallions with game jus, blackberries and celeriac purée.

In 2007, José and Daniel Jiménez-Landi emptied out the casks holding their powerful, extracted red wines and overhauled their style: no more extraction, no more new barriques. Since then, the grapes ferment with their stems, and pumping-over or punching-down are taboo. The two brothers became pioneers of Spain's Garnacha renaissance.