Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/859549
{ SOMMjournal.com } 77 Like the Rhône's Mistral or South Africa's Cape Doctor, Carineña has the Cierzo, an intense wind that creates a naturally healthy environment for grape-growing. This fierce wind can eliminate pests in the vineyard and reduce vine disease; however, because of its strength and velocity, it can also break grape skins. While Tempranillo is found almost everywhere in Spain, that grape is sensitive to the Cierzo and difficult to cultivate in Cariñena. The warm continental/Mediterranean climate in Cariñena gives grapes a long rip - ening season and the benefit of an intense diurnal temperature shift. Garnacha reacts well to the local arid climate due to its strong wooden trunk, which resists drought. Wines grown at lower elevations are fresher, brighter and more fruit-forward; as the elevation begins to increase, the wines show darker fruit flavors and aromas, with more spice and stronger minerality. The highest vineyards (at approximately 2,800 feet above sea level) allow for great sun exposure and drainage, further ripening the grapes to produce intense aromas with strong acidity and ripe, dark, fruit flavors. Higher-elevation vineyards also see night - time temperatures drop 35–40 degrees, allowing the richer fruit to retain great acidity. Aside from elevation, a major con- tributing factor to the quality of Garnacha planted in this region is the age of the vines; many are 80 years old, and some are over 100, producing wines with immense con - centration, deep red and blue fruits, impres- sive complexity and great length. Vines are planted mostl y on orange- brown iron-rich clay, gravel and big slate rocks that produce what the locals call vinos de las piedras—"wines of the rocks," with deep mineral flavors and high levels of acidity. Clay and rock help with grape maturation, allowing better exposure to sunlight and providing filtration of ground water, which goes deep and takes longer to evaporate. Although the grape variety called Carineña (aka Carignan) is still grown here in its homeland, Garnacha is the true star, with about half of the vineyard land dedicated to it. Ideal factors in DOP Cariñena allow Garnacha to thrive in a symbiotic relationship with the land. Tasting Wines from DO P Cariñena On a beautifully sunny day at Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne's restaurant A.O.C. in Los Angeles, top local buyers, sommeliers and other trade members gathered to taste wines from three wineries from Carineña: Bodegas Paniza, Grandes Vinos y Viñedos and Bodegas San Valero. The lineup of wines showed the impressive quality coming from this region and from old-vine expressions of Garnacha. "In a world that is getting more global, I think we are looking for something that is genuine and authentic," Nieves Beamonte Rico, Export Manager of Grandes Vinos, says emphatically. "Carineña overdelivers with value, authenticity—a true story and identity." Our esteemed guest panelists found that the wines of DOP Carineña deliver a distinct voice and a keen expression of the minerality of the region, offering great value and high quality that expresses the true magic of Garnacha. The Garnacha-based reds from Cariñena showed beautifully alongside hearty food from A.O.C. The Bodegas Paniza Garnacha Rosé was a match made in heaven with A.O.C.'s roasted salmon. Cariñena winery representatives Diego Pinedo of Bodegas Paniza, Nieves Beamonte of Grandes Vinos y Viñedos and Paco Pulido of Bodegas San Valero show off their wines.