Herència Altés Garnatxa Blanca 2022

This Garnatxa Blanca employs skin contact and extended lees ageing, creating a richer, more textural style than most white wines. The winemaking approach gives it a slight waxiness and pithy finish that sets it apart from cleaner, crisper whites. It's particularly appealing to chardonnay lovers who appreciate body and complexity in their white wines.

Terra Alta in Catalonia is recognised as the spiritual home of grenache blanc, where the variety reaches its full potential in the Mediterranean climate. The region's elevation and limestone-rich soils provide ideal conditions for producing grenache blanc with both power and finesse. This terroir allows the grape to develop the stone fruit intensity and textural complexity that makes this wine so distinctive.

The wine's medium body and textural richness make it excellent with grilled seafood, roasted chicken, or creamy pasta dishes. Its slight waxiness and stone fruit flavours complement dishes with nuts, herbs, or light spicing. The organic, vegan-friendly nature also makes it perfect for plant-based cuisine with substance, like mushroom risotto or roasted vegetable dishes.

Serve this grenache blanc slightly warmer than typical whites, around 10-12°C, to showcase its textural qualities and honeysuckle aromatics. The 2022 vintage is drinking beautifully now but can develop further complexity over the next 2-3 years. Store it in a cool, dark place and consider decanting if you want to emphasise the wine's richer, more expressive characteristics.

This wine has developed a devoted following due to its consistent quality across six vintages and its unique expression of grenache blanc. Recognition from critics like Jancis Robinson, combined with its organic credentials and distinctive winemaking style, has created strong demand among wine enthusiasts. The cult status reflects both the rarity of well-made grenache blanc and this producer's exceptional ability to showcase the variety's potential.