The prevailing style of winemaking in Spain’s Ribera del Duero lends itself to producing super rich, heavily extracted wines that are highly tannic and dripping with new oak, and so require many years in the cellar. They certainly have their place, but what if you could unleash the pure, unadulterated exuberance of Tempranillo grown in this unique region? That is exactly what the esoteric master Goyo García Viadero has achieved with his “Joven de Viñas Viejas”. Using old vines of Tempranillo, grown at close to 3000 feet of elevation, Goyo has managed to combine the deep, brooding Ribera body with a shockingly lively, energetic face. There is zero oak here, just deliciously pure fruit and earth. If you already love Tempranillo, this is a wine you have to check out, and if you think you don’t love Tempranillo this is definitely a wine you have to check out! And it’s priced for everyday consumption. Once you try it, one bottle won’t be enough, buy it by the case.
Goyo García Viadero grew up in Ribera del Duero, and has been working in the wine industry since before this ancient region was officially established as a D.O. in 1982. His ancestors have been involved in grape growing and winemaking for generations. Although his roots here go very deep, Goyo has always taken a steadfastly alternative route compared to his neighbors and peers. Inspired by none other than Pierre Overnoy, of Jura fame, he has always embraced natural winemaking and organic farming. His idea is to make wines that hearken to pre-industrial times, but they also just happen to be on the cutting edge of Spain’s buzziest, trend setting wines.
After spending many years as a hired hand, Goyo was able to piece together three hectares of vines in 2003 and start making wine under his own label. Today he organically farms 40 hectares, 10 of which are used for his own wines. Natural, low intervention winemaking is the rule, but not with the goal of throwing funky, generic bottles into every natty wine bar. Everything Goyo makes is a clean, pure expression of terroir. It helps that his cellar is super deep, and super cold all year round. Dug deep into a limestone outcrop, the winding labyrinth of caves dates back to the 4th century–yes, that’s right, the Romans were still more or less in charge when this cellar was first built.
The deep, cold cellar helps to keep all his wines stable and allows for minimal use of SO2, often none, and zero additions of any other kind. The “Joven” is the only wine he makes that sees zero oak, but this does make it a “light” wine by any stretch, especially since he leaves the wine to macerate on the skins for three months, before resting an additional year plus in the tank. The result is wine that pours a deep, ruby red with an indigo core. After a quick decant serve cool, in a Burgundy stem, and you’ll immediately notice aromas of violets, lavender, wild black cherries, red plums, tobacco leaf, allspice, and earth. The rich, red and black fruits are framed by ripe tannin, and a core of earthy, saline minerals adds to the complexity. If your only experience with Tempranillo is in its various oaked permutations, and you would not be alone, this is the perfect wine to find out what this grape is all about when served naked and unadorned. It’s a natural fit for the dinner table, especially with grilled or roasted leg of lamb, and although it is already drinking very well it will definitely be fun to watch it develop in the cellar over the next five to ten years. Stock up!
