The La Traviesa Tinto is brought to you by VINOS AUTENTICOS, a Spanish wine merchant whose portfolio more or less mirrors the wines we ourselves would carry if we focused primarily on Spanish or French wines. In that sense, it is technically a merchant’s wine — although that only tells one third of the story.
The second third belongs to the winegrowers of the Sierra de la Contraviesa, whose vineyards supply the Garnacha grapes for La Traviesa Tinto. The final third is called Barranco Oscuro. At Manuel Valenzuela’s remarkable winery, perched high in the Sierra de la Contraviesa, La Traviesa is vinified and therefore unmistakably bears the signature of this outstanding winemaker. In a few words, this means: no technical gimmicks, no dramatic predictability or special effects — instead, spontaneous fermentation and careful, low-intervention winemaking.
La Traviesa Tinto is neither fined, filtered, nor sulphured.
Style
Wines produced at an altitude of 1,300 metres retain a lively core of acidity even in the otherwise scorching heat of Andalusia. This freshness cushions the wine’s velvety, rounded texture while lending it grip, structure, and vitality. Aromas are shaped by dark fruit, sweet spices, and earthy undergrowth notes. The finish is soft yet invigorating. A lot of wine for very little money.
Technical Sheet
- Grape variety: Garnacha
- Vineyard treatment: Sulphur, copper, and plant- or animal-based preparations; not certified
- Vineyard: 1 ha, slate soils
- Harvest: Hand-picked
- Fermentation: Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts; whole bunches including stems; 5-day maceration; fermented in stainless steel tanks
- Ageing: 6 months in used barriques
- Filtration: No
- SO₂: No added sulfur
- Alcohol: 15%
- Closure: Natural cork
- Serving temperature: 16–18°C
- Optimal drinking window: Now through 2027
Principle: All winemakers listed by Vinonudo refrain from using herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilisers in their vineyards. Instead, they work with compost, organic fertilisers, natural preparations, and use copper and sulphur for plant protection.
