Bodega Maranones: Pena Caballera Garnacha 2023

Weingut om: Pena Caballera Garnacha

Peña Caballera 2023 comes from a single plot located in the highest part of the Marañones estate. In just one and a half hectares, old Garnacha vines grow on granitic soils and rise above the rest of the vineyards in San Martín de Valdeiglesias. Located at an altitude of 880 meters above sea level and with a marked north orientation, this plot allows for slow ripening, which brings great complexity to the Garnacha grapes. Respectful viticulture and careful winemaking make it possible for this exceptional vineyard to express itself with total fidelity. The freshness of the Gredos mountain range. The balance of the Marañones landscape. The identity of an extraordinary plot. The florality and finesse of a unique Garnacha. Delicate and elegant finish. The fall of 2022 had mild temperatures, followed by a winter with rain and atypically mild temperatures for the winter season. Spring started early, bringing the vegetative cycle forward: weeping began in February and budbreak occurred in mid-April, ahead of the usual cycle. Flowering began in June and fruit set was reduced by heavy rains in late May and early June, which coincided with full bloom. June maintained moderate temperatures until July, when they began to rise. The grapes were harvested from August 22 to September 8. Conditions were optimal until early September, when heavy rains forced a brief pause. However, these rains did not affect the ripeness and quality of the grapes, and the harvest was completed satisfactorily. Among the undulating terrain of San Martín de Valdeiglesias, in the highest part of the Marañones estate, at an altitude of 880 meters, is this unique plot surrounded by cherry and fig trees. Garnacha vines on granitic soil up to 70 years old preside over a landscape of plant diversity among holm oaks, olive trees and blackthorns. The horizon of the Sierra de Gredos in the background preserves the freshness with which the vines ripen: with a marked north orientation and protected by the mountains, the slow evolution of the vine in each new cycle fills the grapes with complexity. Peña Caballera, barely a hectare and a half in size, is the maximum expression of the Garnacha grape in the area. The philosophy of extreme respect in viticulture and winemaking identifies the profile of Peña Caballera 2023. During the harvest, the bunches were picked by hand in 12 kg boxes. The selected grapes arrived at the winery whole and were macerated with their own stems for almost 120 days. Fermentation was carried out in a 2,100-liter concrete tank using indigenous yeasts. It was aged for 15 months on its own lees in a 1,500-liter French oak vat. For greater protection, the wine contains sulfites. It was bottled in the spring of 2025.