Bodegas Gratias, Soy Caliza, Manchuela, Spain, 2021

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 of this first vintage were astonishing and so Bodegas Gratias was born. After the success of the first vintage, they realised they had a chance to make a difference. In a region with a declining wine industry, Ana and Iván are on a mission to protect old vineyards of Bobal, Tardana and other local varieties, championing the vinous heritage of the area. They champion Manchuela as a region capable of producing exciting and relevant wines that draw on the best of tradition and indigenous varieties, yet with a spin that is undeniably looking to the future. These wines are artisanal and as natural as they come, being organically grown, fermented with natural occurring yeasts and minute sulphur additions, if any.

Viticulture

Soy has become three, with an increasing focus on terroir and emphasising the influence their three distinct soil types have on Bobal’s profile. Soy Arcilla or ‘clay comes from a vineyard planted by Ivan's grandfather over 80 years ago. These unirrigated old bush vines on clay and limestone soils are harvested separately for the Arcilla cuvee, whilst the old bush vines for Soy Arenas or ‘sand’, come from an area where soils are comprised of deposited river stones and sand. Soy 'Caliza' or 'limestone' comes from a plot with a distinctive limestone streak running through it, close to the Jucar river.

Winemaking

Grapes are hand-harvested, de-stemmed and whole bunches are fermented in small tanks, and go into oak barrels after fermentation, for malolactic fermentation and maturation for up to 8 months.

Oak Ageing

Time: 6 to 7 Months
Type: French Oak 225 Litre Barrels
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

Bright Bobal characters, with spicy, blackberries, plums and blueberries on the nose, yet on the palate the limestone character comes to the fore, with chalky minerality combined with the deep ripe fruit. Beautifully structured and long on the palate.

Food Matching

This works well with a wide variety of dishes, from grilled meat and fish, through to vegetable stews.