Tintoralba Cerro del Buey 2022
Garnacha Tintorera, the treasure of Spanish vineyards
A new venture set up by the Tintoralba winery in the paradise of the Garnacha Tintorera variety: the D.O. Almansa, the area with the largest production of this highly prized and scarce variety. Tintoralba Cerro del Buey 2022, a fully organic Garnacha Tintoralba, was grown on old vines in unirrigated vineyards, and has been aged in barrels (6 months) and OVI vats. Its nose is dominated by notes of ripe red fruits and it’s smooth and fresh on the palate.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
Consumption time
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Garnacha tintorera
Type of barrel
500 -litre French oak barrels
Type of bottle
Burgundy
Barrel aging time
6 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Alcohol content (% vol.)
14
General Information
Garnacha Tintorera is the native grape variety of the D.O. Almansa and is responsible for the great wines made in this D.O. It’s a very unusual variety because, unlike others, its flesh is coloured rather than translucent, and it produces unique, intense and markedly fruity wines with lots of personality. Tintoralba Cerro del Buey 2022, a 100% organic Garnacha, is designed in this area by Pedro Sarrión, regarded as one of the best winemakers in Castilla-La Mancha and a leading name in the production of Garnacha Tintoralba.
The grapes come from old, unirrigated, gobelet-trained vines located between 900 and 1000 metres above sea level, organically farmed with low yields. The combination of altitude, chalky, shallow soils and a harsh, dry continental climate creates the ideal conditions for the winery to produce organic wines without major pest problems. These conditions are also conducive to extreme dry farming and a slow and excellent ripening of the grapes, as well as low yields.
The selected Garnacha Tintorera grapes were harvested in crates followed by pre-fermentative cold maceration at 15º C for 2 days. Alcoholic fermentation was carried out in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 25ºC for 8-10 days. One part of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation and subsequent ageing for 6 months in 500-litre French oak barrels, remaining in contact with the fine lees to achieve greater smoothness and bring out the sweetness of the tannins. The other part of the wine was aged in 1,500-litre oak OVI vats that accentuate the butteriness on the palate, affording it smoothness.
Tintoralba was started up in 2004 by the Santa Quiteria cooperative in the small village of Higueruela, located in the eastern part of the province of Albacete, at an altitude between 900 and 1100 metres above sea level. The winery has 225 partners, whose aim is to make the most of the potential of the Garnacha Tintorera grape. Pedro Sarrión, the firm’s superb winemaker, was the first to bottle single-varietal Garnacha Tintorera wines in the area. Tintoralba has been working with organic vineyards for more than 15 years and its wines are vegan.
Tintoralba Cerro del Buey 2022 (D.O. Almansa) is perfect with tuna hotpot or roast fillet of beef.
Creators' opinion
Deep violet colour. Aroma of ripe red fruits with balsamic, saline and toasty notes. Smooth and fresh in the mouth, with balanced acidity, smooth and flavoursome tannins.