Continuing the slow exploration of some of the more far flung corners of the wine world. There’s about 1000ha of Rufete left in Spain and the trend is definitely downward. This is only my second ever experience with the grape after trying a few releases from a local winemaker who travels over to Spain to make wine from a tiny rocky vineyard in the Sierra de Franca.
Renvivas is from a 0.5ha old vineyard planted with Rufete (and some Rufete Blanco!). 650m up in the middle of a Chestnut forest, no chemicals ever used in the vineyard. Only 850 bottles made.
Such a supple and glorious thing to drink. Spice and scrub on the nose, some brambly fruit and a really rocky edge to it too. Quite generous, drinks in widescreen at first but lifted and breathy on the finish. Black fruit, pretty restrained, tannin is like super fine sand sifted into all corners of the palate. Drinks almost in that alpine pocket but you can definitely feel the sun too. Feels adjacent to that Gamaret/Mondeuse/Petite Rouge world but with a touch more brightness. From such a limited experience Rufete is already jumping up towards my favourite few things to drink, there’s so much pressure in the wine world to abandon these small projects in hard to reach and hard to grow places but here’s hoping the next generation keeps these traditions alive! Drink some if you find it