Envinate Albahra Tinto 2019
Grape Varietals & Region: Meaning "small sea", the Albahra from cult producer Envinate is a remarkably pure and bright wine bursting with fresh red fruits and incredible minerality. A blend of Garnacha Tintorera and the rare Moravia Agria. The Garnacha Tintorera (aka Alicante Bouschet) is from a 3- parcel vineyard on clay/calcareous soils. The Moravia Agria (a high-acid, low alcohol blending grape) is from a single vineyard on sandy clay-calcareous soils in neighboring Manchuela, which is pruned to get larger grapes, since there is only 50 hectares of Moravia Agria left in Spain.
Taste Profile: This is a wine with a pure high-toned nose, ripe floral red fruit, with hints of spice and bursting with minerality. Earthy fruit, and fresh acidity, it’s an approachable and highly enjoyable wine. It’s also very versatile with food
Winemaking Process: All grapes are hand-harvested and vinified separately by parcel. The Garnacha Tintorera is foot-trodden in vat with 30-50% stems included and 6-10 days skin maceration, then fermented and raised on fine lees in concrete for 8 months; the Moravia Agria is completely destemmed and sees 7 days maceration before being pressed and raised on fine lees in used French barriques for 8 months, all without battonage. The wine is then blended and bottled unfined, unfiltered and with very little sulfur added.