Victor Ausejo

Garnacha Tinta 2023

Der junge Winzer Victor Ausejo gründete 2018 seine Bodega in Spaniens Prestigeregion Rioja, um dort Spitzenweine jenseits der Vorzeigerebsorte Tempranillo zu erzeugen. Er bewirtschaftet nur 3,5 Hektar Weinberge und bereits seine ersten Jahrgänge erregten international das Aufsehen der Kritiker.

I love the perfumed nose of the 2023 Garnacha Tinta. It's floral, nuanced, insinuating and elegant. The wine was produced with grapes from three small plots of old vines (72 to 80 years of age) at 640 to 650 meters above sea level. This took me back to the character of the 2021, after a much more rustic 2022, but with a plus of elegance. The uncrushed grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel for 12 days and were foot trodden during the first days, and then the wine matured in 300-, 400- and 500-liter oak barrels for 12 months. It has contained ripeness and 14.5% alcohol, keeping a pH of 3.48 and 5.85 grams of acidity, which reflects very good freshness and balance. It has a terrific mouthfeel, textured, juicy and rich while keeping the elegance and poise, with persistent flavors and a final sensation of freshness. 1,980 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2024.

After three years working with a trio of small parcels in Sojuela, Víctor Ausejo thinks that he understands how to get the best out of them. I have to agree. Racy, floral and ethereal, this is a ripe yet tangy Garnacha, marrying aromas of rosehip and garrigue with redcurrant and strawberry and cool climate acidity. 2027-35.