In a recent article I compared two great Garnachas from France and Spain:  Atteca and a Cairanne Côte du Rhône.  I’ve since wrote about many great Garnacha’s from around Spain.  Today’s wine is an old vine Garnacha, from Calatayud, the same region in north-eastern Spain that the Atteca comes from.  This region, though still rustic, is producing an amazing array of old-vine Garnacha wines that are great value.  An interesting thing about Calatayud is that the cooperatives are producing some of the top wines.  Cooperatives in many regions produce pretty ordinary stuff, but here they can excel.  The Baltasar Gracian 2006 is from one such cooperative…San Alejandro…their whole range of inexpensive old-vine wines are really worth trying.  This wine is easy-drinking, but offers exuberant, attractive fruit, some spiciness and some good intensity and decent complexity.  For about 5-6€, it’s a steal!  Read on for more details on the wine. 

Wine:  Baltasar Gracian Viñas Viejas 2006
Winery:  Cooperativo San Alejandro
Denominación de Origen (DO): Calatayud
Alc: 14.5%
Grape varieties: 100% old-vine Garnacha (60-80 yrs old)
Oak regime:  10 months in French and American oak
Price:  5-6€ retail in Madrid

Tasting notes
Visual:  Medium intensity, fresh ruby color
Nose:  Medium intensity…red, sweet raspberry fruit, some spice.  There is a touch of chalk and some raspberry leaf.  Super attractive nose.
Mouth:  Soft sweet fruit mouth, medium intensity…almost restrained for Garnacha.  Raspberry jam, leafy, good fresh acidity…tastes light despite it’s 14.5% alcohol content.  Not the longest wine, some soft tannins and red fruit.
Food:  A great summer wine, like so many of these Garnacha’s…great with barbecue.   

Conclusion: So easy to drink, soft, yet with grip…amazing price.  The one major criticism is the length, but it has a very decent length for this price point.