La Infanta 2019

Located in the province of Cuenca, in the heart of Castile-La Mancha, Micaela Rubio's estate cultivates its vines around the village of Casas de Benítez, on the high plateaus of the Spanish Meseta. The La Infanta vineyards lie on poor soils, a blend of clay, sand, and limestone, at a significant altitude that brings cool nights and a wide temperature range. This distinctly continental climate, tempered by winds and intense sunlight, allows for a slow and complete ripening of the grapes, while preserving the natural acidity and precise expression of the terroir.

The La Infanta cuvée from the Micaela Rubio estate comes from vines cultivated using sustainable farming practices. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyard. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, with minimal intervention to preserve the expression of the terroir. The wine is then aged in oak barrels and neutral containers to retain the freshness of the fruit while adding a silky texture and further complexity.

This wine reveals notes of ripe red fruit , juicy black fruit , and plum , enhanced by delicate floral touches and hints of sweet spices like vanilla and pepper , underpinned by a light toasty oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and structured, with fine yet present tannins , balanced acidity that provides freshness, and a persistent finish with mineral and slightly balsamic nuances.

The history of wine in Spain is so ancient that no one really knows who first brought the vines to the region. By the time the Phoenicians arrived some 3,000 years ago and founded the present-day cities of Cádiz and Jerez, viticulture was already well established, and Spanish wines were widely traded throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa. You could say that Spain is a winemaking miracle. After years on the sidelines of the world of fine wines, it is now a major player. Investment and ambition in vineyards and wineries are resulting in increasingly rich, complex (often high in alcohol), and spicy reds that are gaining popularity with international consumers. Proud to have more land dedicated to vines than any other country, Spain is only now beginning to capitalize on this resource in a consistent way. Spain is a chaotic jumble of regions and subregions, much like its landscape is a chaotic jumble of incredibly rugged scenery. A glance at a map reveals the climatic diversity among Spain's many wine regions, from the lush, green vineyards of Galicia on the northern Atlantic coast to the parched vineyards of the southeastern Mediterranean. Spain's saving grace for viticulture is the average altitude of its vineyards, which is over 600 meters. Many Spanish vineyards are thus able to produce grapes with good color and acidity simply because nighttime temperatures are relatively low and the grapes don't ripen until after a sufficiently long growing season. But there is a real treasure trove to be found for those willing to dig, and now that a class of connoisseurs has developed in Spain, all sorts of ambitious investors have done their part to change the image of Spanish wine. Today, a new generation of winemakers has quietly begun to craft spectacular wines and experiment with grape varieties that would have been unthinkable not so long ago. Wine remains an important commodity and an integral part of Spanish culture.