Abel Mendoza, Graciano Garnacha Grano a Grano, DOCa Rioja, Spain, 2020

Producer Profile

Modest, passionate and in no small part obsessive, Abel Mendoza and Maite Fernández have been making understated wines from their old vine vineyards, high up in the Cantabrian mountains near San Vicente de la Sonsierra since the late 80s.

His intimate knowledge of the diverse terroirs in this spectacular part of Rioja is enthralling, and every barrel tasted reveals startling provenance and true character of the vintage. Abel doesn’t make wines that flatter, they don’t speak of oak regimes, but rather of the quality of his fruit, expressed in its most honest form.

Viticulture

For two generations Abel Mendoza's family has been farming vineyards in Rioja, and today works 37 individual parcel, scattered in and around the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra (towards the border of Rioja Alta and Alavesa). More than anything in the world, Abel cares for his vineyards, each plot tended to enable an authentic expression of the location, and harvested entirely by hand. The grapes planted are all indigenous varietals, including Malvasia, Viura, Tempranillo Blanco and Tinto and Graciano.

Oak Ageing

Time: 17 Months
Type: French
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 100

Tasting Note

A bright red wine, cherry in colour. Highly aromatic with notes of spice, pepper, bluebbery and raspberry as well as some thyme and vanilla notes from the well integrated barrel aging. Unctious, enveloping and elegant the tannins are polished andfresh on the palate with excellent balance between the acidity and the fruit. Delicious.

Food Matching

Incredibly versatile, this wine works well with meats, fish, pasta and spicy foods.