The Herencia Altes Garnacha Blanca 2014 is sourced from estate vineyards near the village of Batea in the Terra Alta DO of southeast Catalonia in Spain. Garnacha Blanc is a White grape that is related to the Red Grenache/Garnacha grape, it is possibly a mutation of the Red grape. Terra Alta (translates to High Land) has produced wine since Roman times and until recently mainly made wine for local consumption. Herencia Altes have farmed grapes for many generations and in 2013 built a state of the art winery to produce their own wines. This Garnacha Blanca (known as Garnatxa Blanca locally) is blended from a mix of very old vines and new vines to produce a wine with depth and a bright character. The Herencia Altes Garnacha Blanca is aged for 2 months on lees (with the dead yeast and grape residue left in the tank) which adds texture, flavor and a little creaminess. The alcohol content is 12.95% to be exact.
The color is almost clear with just a hint of sunshine yellow. The nose is beautiful, a swirl of honey, tropical fruit and flowers. The nose may lead you to believe this wine may be a little sweet, but one sip tells you different. The Herencia Altes is dry and crisp. It tastes of peach, pear and lime. The mid-palate adds a nice contrast of slightly sour grapefruit. This is a well-balanced wine with solid acidity. The finish mirrors the body of the wine and lingers on and on.
The Herencia Altes Garnacha Blanca 2014 is a delicious, well made and reasonably priced White wine (should be available for around $11). You may not be familiar with the Garnacha Blanca grape, but this is a lovely summer wine that is well worth a try. It has the body and the acidity to stand up to spicy Asian cuisine and the ripe fruit and citrus flavors to do well with more delicate fish and seafood dishes.
