The Santo Cristo Seleccion Garnacha is another nice example of one of the best values in wine, Spanish Garnacha.
100% Garnacha from vines averaging 40 years old surrounding the village of Ainzon in Campo de Borja, Aragon, Spain. The wine is aged for 18 months in stainless steel and does not see any oak.
Sample submitted for review. The Santo Cristo Seleccion Garnacha has an SRP of $10 and is available at that price. 60,000 bottles were produced. Imported by Europvin.
A wine made exclusively for Europvin by the Santo Cristo cooperative in Ainzon. We blended between tanks to achieve a complex balance of broad, rich old vine mouthweight with fresh, floral and mineral aromatics on the nose.
Ainzon is in the heart of the Campo de Borja DO, just over the provincial boundary from Navarra. The conditions here are very interesting, with warm Mediterranean influences in Summer and cool, Atlantic influences in Winter. Rainfall is low (350 to 450mm per year), there is lots of sun, but altitudes of 350 to 700 metres mean cool, fresh conditions.
14% Alcohol
The 2016 Santo Cristo Seleccion Garnacha begins with a pleasing aroma of ripe fruit along with touches of leather and spice. It's always interesting to me how these old vine wines can give some of the characteristics of being aged in oak when that is not the case.
Taking a sip reveals a fresh and tasty wine with lots of juicy tart fruit. This is very easy to drink with plenty of flavor, a smooth mouthfeel and good balance.
It ends dry and long with a little minerality under the lingering fruit.
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You might also want to check out our list of The Best Spanish Wine here.
