La Forcallà de Antonia 2024 Red

The recovery of late ripening grape varieties in eastern Spain has shown that a different approach to red wines is possible —proving that the Mediterranean can move beyond powerful, high-alcohol styles.

These are varieties that were once widely planted before phylloxera, but gradually fell into obscurity, often due to challenging ripening cycles or low yields.

Forcallà Tinta, also known as Forcallat, is a late-budding, late-ripening variety that historically produced wines with pale colour and modest alcohol levels. While these features were once seen as weaknesses, climate change has now turned them into strengths.

How much Forcallà remains in Spain? According to Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, in 2024 there were 148 hectares in Castilla-La Mancha, 119 in Murcia and 88 in Valencia. The white version of Forcallà is even rarer, with only 38 hectares spread across Murcia and Valencia.

Rafael Cambra, a producer based in Fontanars dels Alforins within DO Valencia's Clariano subarea, is the leading advocate for Forcallà Tinta in quality-driven wines. Initially, he used it in blends due to its low alcohol, but he soon recognised the grape’s distinctive character and started producing a single varietal Forcallà wine from the 2011 vintage.

The grapes come from a 70-year-old vineyard at 700 metres elevation on the western edge of Fontanars dels Alforins. The sandy soil allows for ungrafted planting, lending a unique personality to the vineyard. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged in a 5,000-litre oak vat and 500-litre barrels. The 2024 vintage, now on release, is the first to be made entirely with whole bunches.

With spicy pepper notes and bright red berry aromas, this wine strikes a perfect balance of ripeness and flavour, leaving behind the rusticity of its early vintages. The tension on the palate invites another sip, promising plenty of pleasure. 

13% abv.
8,000 bottles
€16 
Score: 93