Wine Review of Grupo Pesquera’s 2011 Alejandro Fernández Dehesa la Granja Tinto red, Castilla y León, Spain
Score: 91/100
Dehesa la Granja winery is fully integrated into the environment of a land deep into Spain, in the province of Zamora in Castilla y León. The almost 800 hectares of the property (nearly 2000 acres of which 600+ are covered in vineyards) stretch along the banks of the River Guareña.
This bodega boasts an impressive underground cellar where its famous wines sleep peacefully. For 17 years, from 1750 to 1767, in a darkness and silence broken only by the sound of digging, 125 men gradually gained ground on the unforgiving rock until excavating over 3,000 m² of extraordinary maze-like tunnels.
As well as making wine, the estate is also dedicated to growing other agricultural crops and to livestock farming, which allows it to sell chickpeas, cheese and extra virgin olive oil, all grown and produced on the estate. In addition, the raw materials that are harvested and the animals that are tended on the estate supply the bodega’s restaurant with home-grown fare.
Dehesa la Granja wine is a 100% Tempranillo wine aged in American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes of 2011 Dehesa La Granja
A Spanish red that comes in a rather dark red color, a dark red still looking quite youthful with hints of purple despite its 5+ years of age at the time of tasting.
The nose is opulent and mainly fruity, filled with gorgeous prune, plum and dark red berry aromas.
A sense of meatiness clearly comes through the aromatic profile too, like cured meat. Somehow the image of a good Spanish Jamón comes to mind at smelling it. Black pepper, nutmeg and cherry liqueur notes make for a complex nose.
The palate is very smooth, and drinks seamlessly, featuring an oily body, good-enough acidity to provide freshness to the fruity flavors, velvety tannins and a good overall balance leaving your sense with an impression of bursting fruity smoothness.
Rather long and layered finish, filled with clove and other sweet spices, coconut and a salivating salty caramel feel.
Overall
A complex and concentrated Spanish red wine, filled with fruity, meaty, oaky and salty goodness. Bursting with flavors, it is quite complex and very balanced on the pungently ripe and fruity, warming side of things as we like and expect from Spain.
An age-worthy wine too, as it is still feeling very fresh and just coming together fully after 5-6 years of ageing. Drink now as it’s probably approaching its peak. Yet, if you’d like even more meaty and spicy depth to it, you should be able to cellar for another solid 10 years.
Enjoy 🙂
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