Arrayán - Méntrida & Cebreros (Sierra de Gredos)

Bodegas Arrayán was founded in 1999 as a personal project of José María Entrecanales and María Marsans.  The appointment of Maite Sánchez as oenologist in 2009 marked a new era for Arrayán in terms of both the process of making its existing wines and Maite’s focus on adding autochthonous varieties to the range.  Her priority is to enable the vines to bring out the full expression of each terroir.  Vine-growing practices are environmentally friendly and without herbicides or pesticides to favor biodiversity and balance.  The same approach is applied to winemaking: fermentation occurs spontaneously using the grapes' natural yeasts, without any added products, with the goal of achieving the maximum purity and personality of each terroir.

Arrayán La Suerte de Arrayán Albillo Real 2022

100% Albillo Real from 2 hectares of 80-year-old bush vines (planted in 1942) at 600 meters in Almorox.

Winemaking:  Foot stomped and cold maceration with the skins for 2 days.  Pressing and spontaneous fermentation are carried out at controlled temperatures.  Aged 8 months in used 300L and 500L French oak.

Production:  400 cases (30 cases imported)

Arrayán La Suerte de Arrayán Garnacha 2018

100% Garnacha planted in the mid-20th century at 750 meters in El Real de San Vicente on the Toledo side of the Gredos mountains.

Winemaking:  Gravity-fed into stainless steel tanks.  Cold maceration for 3 days before spontaneous fermentation at controlled temperature.  Maceration with the skins for approximately 20 days in total.  Malolactic fermentation takes place in the cask.  Aged 12 months in used 300L and 500L French oak and an additional 12 months in bottle.

Production:  935 cases (56 cases imported)

Arrayán El Bufón de Arrayán Garnacha 2018

100% Garnacha from a single vineyard planted in 1950 at 980 meters in Cebreros (Ávila) in the Gredos mountains.

Winemaking:  Gravity-fed with 30% stems into French oak vats.  Cold maceration for 3 days before spontaneous fermentation at controlled temperature.  Maceration with the skins for approximately 37 days in total.  Malolactic fermentation in the same vat.  Aged 14 months in used 4,300L French foudre and additional years in bottle.

Production:  1,906 bottles (312 bottles imported)

Decanter 95 - Arrayán La Suerte de Arrayán Albillo Real 2022

Founded in Santa Cruz del Retamar in 1999, Arrayán was originally focused on international grape varieties. Under the leadership of Maite Sánchez, head winemaker since 2009, attention has switched to indigenous varieties such as Albillo Real, from which Sánchez makes two wines from two sites in the Sierra de Gredos, one in Cebreros and this ‘outstanding’ example, aged for eight months in 300L and 500L French oak casks.

David Williams:  Downy, honeyed oatmeal and savoury flavours, a touch of nutty oiliness, fleshy green olives and quince. Not high acid yet still feels fresh and agile.

Matthew Forster MW:  Complex secondary notes of straw, saffron and hazelnut. Firm, structured finish.

Ines Salpico:  Pleasantly fleshy with an elegant nutty aspect – glazed almonds, frangipane – adding some sweetness and intensity.

RP 92:  Arrayán La Suerte de Arrayán Garnacha 2018

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

Issue Date: November 11, 2021

The 2018 La Suerte de Arrayán feels quite different from the 2017 I also tasted next to it, fresher, with less alcohol and more Gredos, with the tactile sensation of the grainy tannins from the granite soils. It's a full 1% less alcohol than the 2017. It has a very nice nose of wild berries and herbs and a medium-bodied palate with nice balance, focused and clean flavors and a long, dry finish. 9,617 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020.

RP 93:  Arrayán El Bufón de Arrayán Garnacha 2018

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

Issue Date: November 11, 2021

The young, pale and primary 2018 Garnacha de Arrayán feels quite ethereal, perfumed and elegant. It was produced with fruit from El Galayo in Cebreros, one of the few places in Gredos with slate-ish soils that provide grainier minerality. It's very tasty, powerful and elegant with an earthy twist, ripe at 15% alcohol but with good freshness and without any excess. The élevage was in concrete egg for five months and a further six months in 300- and 500-liter oak barrels. 1,044 bottles were filled in January 2020.