Bodega Sommos Garnacha

Located near the village of Murero along a remote stretch of the Jiloca
River, Sommos Garnacha produces fresh tasting Garnacha from 250
acres of estate vineyards between 40 and 100 years old, including
many hillside slate-laden parcels over 3,000 feet in elevation,
the highest of D.O. Calatayud.

Located in Zaragoza’s remote Jiloca River Valley in the extreme
southeast of D.O. Calatayud, the local vineyards had
suffered abandonment during the 20th century for their difficult access
and steep slopes mandating manual labor. Beginning in 2001, efforts
were intensified to recuperate those vineyards that could still be saved.
Dispersed among the slopes, the vineyard parcels today
average approximately two acres in size. The steepest hillsides are
composed of exposed gray and red slate and quartzite, the gentler
slopes incorporating varying amounts red clay. Extreme elevations
range from 2,700 to 3,800 feet. It is believed that these isolated
parcels represent what remains of the original, or heirloom version, of
the Garnacha variety.

Continental climate and altitude offer day/night temperature variation
during season of 25º F. and more, lengthening the ripening season and
preserving fruit intensity. Rains are scarce but timely and penetrate the
soils quickly to provide adequate moisture for the deeply-rooted vines.
The old vines produce an average of one kilogram (2.2 pounds) each,
and are collected in 20kg crates, filled only to 15kgs to avoid crushing
during transport to the bodega. The crates are emptied directly onto a
new Selectiv’ Process Vision sorting table that optically separates the
grapes by color and shape to retain only the finest and most intact fruit.
The destemmed grapes are cold macerated and fermented by parcel in
moderately sized tanks of 4,000 to 6,000 liters. The essence of
Garnacha is the Sommos Garnacha objective, with extreme altitude and
mineral soils contributing to the intensity and freshness obtained