El Yesal

The red Garnacha 2017 El Yesal was produced with grapes from an ancient plot of vines on limestone-rich soils ("yeso" means gypsum in the Spanish language, and "yesal" is a place where you have yeso). It's from 0.5 hectares on a slope, and the grapes fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in 300- and 500-liter oak barrels (one of each) for seven months, but they always keep the wine for two winters in the winery. It has a very characteristic nose that I sometimes find in Garnacha from very warm years, with a mixture of soy sauce and malted cereals with a peaty/smoky twist reminiscent of some malt whiskey. It's heady, aromatic and showy, floral and a little decadent. The palate reveals fine-grained, chalky tannins and very tasty flavors, with an almost salty finish. 1,100 bottles were filled in January 2019.