Bodegas Gratias, Sol, Manchuela, Spain, 2022

Producer Profile

When Ana and Iván got together for a party with some oenologist friends in 2007, they decided to make some wine and put it in a barrel.

The results were astonishing – and so Bodegas Gratias was born. After the success of their first vintage, the pair realized they had a chance to make a difference in a region whose wine industry was in decline. Today, Ana and Iván are on a mission to protect old vineyards of Bobal, Tardana and other local varieties, thereby preserving Manchuela’s vinous heritage while showcasing its ability to produce exciting wines for a new generation of wine drinkers. Their wines are artisanal and as natural as they come, made from organically grown fruit and fermented using naturally occurring yeasts with hardly any added sulphites.

Viticulture

Sustainable agriculture from old vineyards with a high chalk content. The Tardana fruit comes from un-irrigated bush vines at 400 m altitude. This native grape variety its so adaptad to the terroir that it ripens very late, in October, after the reds.

Winemaking

Artisanal and respectful winemaking. After a maceration process of 4 hours, the grapes are pressed and the juice fermented in stainless steel tank. One third of the wine finishes the fermentation inside a tinaja. The wine is left to age for 3 months on its lees before bottling.

Tasting Note

Scrummy white fruits, flowers, ripe pears. Creamy and well balanced acidty.

Food Matching

The acidity works well with oriental food, but isn't too bracing to work with se food, grilled fish or pasta.