The 2014 Envinate Albahra is one of the most unique and distinctively delicious Spanish red wines I’ve ever discovered! Just 580 cases were produced and we got our hands on 12 of them!!
The 2013 vintage, the winery’s debut release, scored 91+ points with The Wine Advocate. I’m predicting the 2014 will score 92-93 points. Whatever it scores, it is absolutely delicious and one of my top picks for the fall season. Talk is cheap.
2014 Envinate Albahra
Natural Spanish red done right!
This vintage is sold out. To order the new vintage, stop by the store or click here to order in our online store.
Envinate is one of Spain’s newest and hottest young wineries. Founded in 2005 by four friends who studied enology together at the University of Miguel Hernandez in Alicante, Envinate (translated Wine Yourself) is real wine from real folks.
This Gang of Four make wines in a number of Spain’s most distinctive zones, and their collective aim is to make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terroir of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used in any of the Envínate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts, with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and sulfur is only added at bottling, if needed. The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.
The 2014 Envinate Albahra is 100% Garnacha Tintorera (aka Alicante Bouschet) that comes from a 30 year old, organically farmed vineyard in Almansa, in Southeastern Spain. The wine is fermented with wild yeasts in large cement vats and then is left to settle for 8 months before bottling. While most of the Spanish Garnacha Tintorera I’ve tried has been deeply colored, chunky and rustic, this one is quite the opposite!
Displaying lovely notes of ripe cherry/black cherry, strawberry, savory earth and spice notes, it smells just as good as it tastes. Even better, the palate is soft, silky, gentle and fresh. It calls to mind really good Morgon (Gang of Four style) and rustic styled Red Burgundies from the south (think Mercurey).
With fall and cooler weather upon us, I recommend stocking up on this one to enjoy with savory dishes, like roasted meats, sausages, mushrooms, and traditional Spanish rice dishes, like paella or arroz negro. However, I drank a bottle with friends last night with nothing more than a glass and it was delicious.
This vintage is sold out. To order the new vintage, stop by the store or click here to order in our online store.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville