2023 Ponce La Xara Garnacha

While Bobal is the king at Bodegas Ponce, Juan Antonio’s work with Garnacha is equally impressive. Sourced from the 10-hectare "Gastón" vineyard, these 35-year-old vines are planted on a unique mix of calcareous clay and granite at high altitude. This soil profile is key; the clay provides the "bones" and fruit weight, while the granite lends a mineral tension that makes the wine feel more like a high-altitude Gredos Garnacha than a typical warm-climate red.

The 2023 vintage is notable for its combo of drinkability and serious structure. Fermented with 100% whole clusters and aged for seven months in large neutral oak vats, the wine remains bright ruby in the glass. It’s super aromatic, jumping out with notes of wild strawberries, blood orange, and Mediterranean herbs, followed by more complex flickers of white pepper, ginseng, and wet stone.

On the palate, it’s high-energy and supple. James Suckling noted a "tangy, peppery" character that makes it dangerously easy to drink, yet the Wine Advocate points to a deeper complexity and a "juicy fruit" core that suggests it will only gain character with time in the bottle. It’s a fresh, Mediterranean red that offers ripping value from one of the best bang-for-buck producers in Spain!

94 points
"Amazing value for the money, with superb drinkability. You could really down this easily, but that doesn’t mean it’s not serious. Enjoy now."
- James Suckling

93 points
"Their pure Garnacha 2023 La Xara shows finesse and elegance and is fresh and Mediterranean... It has a combination of red and black fruit, Mediterranean herbs, a medium-bodied palate, with bones, freshness and juicy fruit."
- Luis Gutiérrez (The Wine Advocate)