Viña Elena, Familia Pacheco Garnacha-Syrah-Monastrell, DO Jumilla, Spain, 2021

Producer Profile

Widely considered to be one of the best wineries in Jumilla, Viña Elena is very much a family affair with Elena Pacheco at the helm supported ably by her mother, sisters and children.

Viña Elena sits directly inland from the Costa Blanca and that venerable holiday destination, Benidorm. Safe to say, it is hot in this south east corner of Spain and Elena is fascinated by Monastrell and how she can create ever more elegant and delicate incarnations of it, despite the intensity of the sun. From their 17 hectares of organically cultivated vines set within the semi-arid, hilly landscape, Elena experiments with the differing soil types to see how Monastrell will react and how she can express the personality of the grape. The differing terroir, organic practices and the lack of oak influence all goes to create fascinating wines of greater elegance, fruit and delicacy than the heat of this sun worshippers' land would have you expect.

Viticulture

A classic GSM blend with a Spanish twist … in this case Garnacha, Syrah and Monastrell. The three varieties are sourced from some of the estates best vineyards located in the Estrecho de Marin valley-Monastrell from goblet-trained, dry-farmed bush vines, planted at an altitude of 380m above sea level. Planting is low-density and the age of the vines vary between young vines planted in 2012 and some plots of old vines planted in 1989. The Syrah comes from drip irrigated trellised-vines located at 380m above sea level in the same southern subzone of Jumilla from vines planted in 2007 on limestone soil. Whilst the Garnacha comes from goblet-trained bush vines planted in dry, non-irrigated, chalky soils on a plot called “El Gato”. The altitude here is 380m above sea-level; planted in 2012 at relatively low-density, on a steep slope with a south-east aspect.

Winemaking

Garnacha and Syrah components are fermented in stainless-steel vats at controlled temperature of 25 °C using natural yeast. Whilst the Monastrell is the only variety that is aged in Fudre for 10 months, providing the wine with a rounder mouthfeel and added complexity.

Oak Ageing

Time: 10 Months
Type: Monastrell only in Fudre
% wine oaked: 55
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

A hugely appealing and immediate wine, with fragrant red berries on the nose. Fruit-driven, medium-bodied, easy drinking, with smooth tannins and delightful freshness, which we feel is more reminiscent of wines from the Rhône valley than the usual Jumilla style. A serious and elegant wine.

Food Matching

Versatile and matches well with tapas, paella, white meat, grilled fished (salmon), salads, pasta with ragu sauce but equally well with spicier tacos.