Porta Franca 2020

Located in the heart of Rioja Alavesa, the Nanclares y Prieto estate cultivates the Porta Franca cuvée on breezy slopes near the city of Logroño in northern Spain. The vines, planted in predominantly limestone and clay-limestone soils, benefit from a climate at the crossroads of Atlantic and Mediterranean influences. This geographical location promotes a slow and balanced ripening of the grapes, preserving freshness and tension. The vineyard is managed with particular attention to biodiversity and manual labor, in order to faithfully express the identity of this unique terroir.

Made from Albariño grapes grown using sustainable farming practices, this wine is crafted from hand-harvested grapes in small crates, carefully sorted upon arrival at the winery. The grapes are gently pressed, and the must ferments naturally with indigenous yeasts, without the addition of any unnecessary oenological products. Aging takes place on fine lees in stainless steel tanks and/or neutral containers, with minimal intervention to preserve the purity of the fruit, the saline tension, and the truest possible expression of its Atlantic terroir.

This wine reveals notes of crisp white fruit , ripe citrus , and delicate flowers , complemented by hints of fine spice and a subtle minerality . On the palate, the wine is precise, with a texture that is both ample and taut, driven by a lively acidity that lengthens the tasting experience. The clean and flavorful finish leaves an impression of persistent freshness and balance, inviting you to return to the glass.

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.