Bernabeleva 2022 Garnacha, Arroyo del Tortolas, Vinos de Madrid DO

Terroir Notes: San Martín de Valdeiglesias lies in the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos, at the northwestern corner of Viños de Madrid. Located at high elevation, with a large diurnal shift and granite/schist/sandy soils, the estate produces elegance, mineral, and perfumed Garnacha. Viticulture is organic, with a strong biodynamic influence. Harvesting is done by hand, as they have a devotion to demanding ecological viticulture and to non-interventionist winemaking.

Vineyard Notes: Arroyo del Tórtolas is a parcel selection. The vineyard is a narrow north-facing 1.2 hectare steep hillside. The vines are 65 years old. The granitic soil is shallow and poor in organic matter. The team must harvest the parcel in two stages due to the changing features of the soil along the slope, as it gets closer to the Tórtolas stream. This plot is one of the first to ripen for the estate. The vines are worked manually. The soil is tilled with contributions of manure produced by Bernabeleva's own cows. The only treatments used (only when absolutely necessary) are a dust of copper and sulfur. Pruning is done following the lunar cycle.

Winemaking Notes: Vinification takes place in wooden tanks with a percentage of stems that depends on the vintage. Up to 100% whole bunches are crushed by foot treading and fermented/macerated up to 45 days. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with indigenous yeast. 25-60 day skin maceration is employed. The wine ages for a year in a mix of used French 225 to 600 liter barrels. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the barrels. The wine is bottled without fining or filtering.