Pale gold color; baked apple, honeysuckle, vanilla, lemon, petrol on the nose; lemon, pear, yellow apple, minerality, hint of honey, petrol, dill pickle on the palate.
Dry; medium body, slightly chewy, fresh acidity. Soft texture in the mouth. No tannins. Pure varietal—100% garnacha blanc grapes from 100-year-old vines grown in La Miranda vineyard in the valley of Secastilla on the northeastern side of the rugged, craggy Somontano mountains.
Manual harvest into small boxes. Grapes destemmed and crushed in the vineyard, then transferred to vat to begin maceration. When the vat reaches the winery, free-run juice is separated and fermented in French oak where it ages for four months. 13.5% ABV
Grenache blanc/garnacha blanca is a color mutation of grenache/garnacha. Produces medium-to-full bodied wines. Aged in oak—as this was—delivers toasty, creamy wines with dill pickle nuances.
Viñas del Vero takes its name from a river, the Vero, that flows through the Somontano region and is famous for its ravines, gorges and canyons. The Viñas del Vero winery was set up in Somontano at the end of 1986 through the acquisition of 1,360 acres in Barbastro and other nearby villages. In 1987, they replanted with grape varieties traditionally grown in the region (tempranillo, moristel, garnacha and macabeo), along with others of different origins (chardonnay, gewürztraminer, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir).
The winery’s first wines were released onto the market in the spring of 1990, made in an experimental winery in Salas Bajas. In 1987, the company bought the “San Marcos” estate as the site for a new winery it was to build and that opened in July 1993. That is where all Viñas del Vero wines are produced today. In 2008 Viñas del Vero joined the González Byass Wine Portfolio.
The volume and quality of the wines it produces means that Viñas del Vero is currently the Somontano DO’s leading winery. The company is one of Spain’s largest vineyard owners. The technology used in the winery and the style of the wines it produces are a benchmark for the region.
Viñas del Vero La Miranda de Secastilla Garnacha Blanca 2020 is fresh, intriguingly tasty with acidity, petrol, lemon, and stone fruits presenting your palate with flavors you may not have experienced before. Easy drinker. Pair with fish—tuna, swordfish, salmon, grilled snapper, mahi mahi; shellfish; shrimp; sushi; garlic chicken; lamb; braised short rib; roasted pork shoulder. Cheese—softer, creamy cheeses: brie, camembert, crème fraîche; medium-hard, nutty cheese: swiss, emmentaler, comté, jarlsberg, gruyère. $17
