San Román Garnacha 2022 Red

Garnacha is the dominant grape variety in Priorat and most appellations in Aragón and the Sierra de Gredos. It is also widely planted across Navarra and Rioja. Thanks to its resilience to drought and its adaptability to climate change, it is now spreading throughout much of Spain, including regions such as Ribera del Duero and Toro, whose meteoric rise in the late 20th and early 21st centuries was built almost exclusively on Tempranillo.

Unlike Ribera, where Garnacha yielded pale, light-bodied wines in stark contrast to the powerful Tempranillo, Toro has preserved a small but significant heritage of old vines. According to the DO, the variety arrived from Aragon in the late 15th century, after the succession war that brought Isabella the Catholic to the throne. Locally, it is still known as Tinto Aragonés or Tinto Navarro.

As the market has shifted away from powerful reds, Garnacha has come to be valued as a natural counterpoint to Tinta de Toro. It brings freshness and juiciness, while helping to moderate the firm tannins and high alcohol levels that the latter can reach in hot vintages. 

In the mid-1990s, following the success of Mauro, the García family decided to invest in Toro for their second project in the Duero Valley. They now blend Garnacha in many of their red wines, accounting for around 15% of their entry-level, Prima, and 5% of their flagship red, San Román.

After the DO Toro authorised the production of single-varietal Garnacha wines, the winery introduced its own San Román Garnacha, first released with the 2018 vintage. The 2022 growing season was marked by very hot weather, with an early heatwave in May disrupting flowering and leading to uneven berry set. Conditions eased towards the end of the growing season, thanks to a few storms in September and cooler night-time temperatures in the run-up to the harvest, which began on 16 September.

The grapes come from El Monte vineyard in Villaester, Valladolid, where 60-year-old goblet-trained vines grow in poor, sandy soils. According to Eduardo García, technical director of the Mauro Group, the area's finesse is linked to a higher proportion of sand. 

All the grapes are grown organically, with an increasing shift towards biodynamic practices in recent years. The wine was fermented with whole bunches by treading the skins and aged for 18 months in 500-litre French oak barrels.

This is a more powerful expression than the Garnachas produced by leading estates in Gredos, Rioja or Aragón. It has an abundance of red and blue fruit with ripe, juicy flavours and subtle dairy notes. Its superb texture is complemented by an earthy, mineral finish that adds character. The result is a more relaxed and approachable interpretation of Toro without compromising the region's identity. It's perfect for open-minded wine lovers who want to discover the fascinating versatility and adaptability of Garnacha and appreciate the García family’s expertise in the Duero Valley.

14,5% abv.
3.085 bottles
€46 
Score: 93