A few weeks ago, three of us sat down to taste nearly two dozen wines. When we spoke after the tasting, this was the wine that everyone wanted to talk about.
I can speak for myself that this wine haunted me in ways that no other wine I've tasted has.
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In over twenty years of tasting wine, I never could have imagined Garnacha hitting this level of finesse and vibrancy. For me, the 2021 Dominio del Challao Garnacha takes everything that you'd expect from the Grenache grape and simply tears it to shreds.
This is Grenache with the aristocratic breeding of Rioja, and it is really amazing.
Dominio del Challao is the product of Manuel Michelini and Carlos Fernández. Manuel Michelini is an Argentinian who comes from a winemaking family. Before settling in Rioja, Michelini worked throughout France at domaines that include Simon Bize, Clape, Ramonet, and Roulot.
Michelini fell in love with a little-known corner in Rioja called Labastida. Carlos Fernández comes from generations of winegrowers in the area. Together they scouted ideal vineyards, including the single site from which the Garnacha is sourced.
In Rioja, the 2021 vintage produced utterly brilliant wines. In that year, magic happened with Dominio del Challao's Garnacha. Just to situate the wine, I should say that I would be totally comfortable recommending this to someone who is obsessed with red Burgundy. That gives you a sense of how elegant the wine is.
Tasting wines like this keeps me going. The reality is that an offer like this is a labor of love. Many readers will see that it's a Grenache wine and reflexively turn away. That's both understandable and a mistake. This is a not-to-be-missed and utterly eye-opening wine.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare
Crush Wine & Spirits
Luis Gutiérrezi, The Wine Advocate: "The super balsamic 2021 Challao Garnacha has a bright ruby color in this cooler and wetter year when the Garnacha really delivered what they expect from the grape. This comes from silty and chalky soils, the higher-altitude vineyard they work at some 620 meters above sea level, which was planted in 1989. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete with some full clusters and matured in 2,000-liter oak foudre for 20 months. It has a moderate 12.5% alcohol, a low pH of 3.21 and an impressive nose with an explosion of thyme, lavender and rosemary, hints of camphor intermixed with fresh berry fruit and a spicy twist, developing notes of blood orange peel with time in the glass. It's medium-bodied and fine-boned, with very fine tannins; it's a little fuller than the initial 2020, with more structure and clout, not as ethereal."