2024 Comando G "La Bruja" Garnacha Sierra de Gredos

Comando G is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine producers in Spain. Each vintage their wines seem to grow in popularity, as wine collectors discover these wines that are unlike anything else currently being produced in Spain. Their singular focus is on old vine Garnacha from the Sierra de Gredos region, a rugged, mostly forested area not far from Madrid. Long known for simple, inexpensive country wines, the region has been transformed by the rediscovery of high-altitude vineyards forgotten by many. These old Garnacha vines revealed a surprising character: pale in color yet intensely expressive, with taut, nervy energy and striking minerality rather than the variety’s typical lush power when grown in hotter and flatter areas of Spain. The “La Bruja” is made from 100% Garnacha and is labeled as a “Vino Regional,” serving as an introduction to both the region as to the Comando G style. On the nose, there are classic Garnacha red fruit notes of cherry and raspberry, enhanced by subtle lavender, licorice and scrubby underbrush. Fine-grained, grippy tannins add balance, keeping the wild aromatics in check. The goal of founders Dani Landi and Fernando Garcia is to elevate Spanish Garnacha to the same ranks as Syrah from the Northern Rhône or Pinot Noir from Burgundy, and it’s clear they’re well on their way to attaining this goal. Considering that the top wines of Comando G – nearly impossible to secure – now fetch hundreds of dollars, this is a stunning value from one of the fastest rising stars in Spain.