Aurelio García and Micaela Rubio, both chemists and oenologists from the province of Cuenca, have expanded their winemaking efforts to include the high-altitude vineyards of the Sierra de Gredos in Ávila, particularly around the village of Navatalgordo. Here, the vineyards are situated at elevations between 1100 and 1300 meters, with granitic soils that vary in decomposition, texture, and orientation. The region’s continental mountain climate, marked by long, snowy winters and cool summers that extend into autumn, offers ideal conditions for cultivating old vines. Many of the vineyards in this area were abandoned following the Spanish Civil War and remained untouched for decades, providing Aurelio and Micaela with the opportunity to work with 80-year-old garnacha tinta vines. Their focus in Gredos is to explore the distinctive characteristics of each site, particularly how soil type and exposure influence the flavor and texture of the wines.
+Altitud is a village wine from Ávila, sourced from 40 plots located between 1100 and 1300 meters, making them some of the highest vineyards on the Iberian Peninsula. The wine is made from 98% garnacha tinta, with 2% white table grapes blended in. Each parcel is vinified separately based on soil type, and the wine is aged for 14 to 15 months in a mix of 60% concrete, 20% silica/clay, and 20% used 500-litre barrels.
+Altitud 2021 (A. García & M. Rubio)
Delicate, almost ethereal wine. Light in both colour and body. Aromas of red berries (raspberry, wild strawberry), complemented by subtle floral notes. It is aromatic, complex, and light on its feet, with a granite-derived texture and a distinctive mineral finish.
Aurelio García is one of the most attentive and thoughtful voices in modern Central Spanish wine. Together with his partner, Micaela Rubio, he works across three regions—Cuenca, Ávila, and Soria—always with a focus on old vineyards, native varieties, and minimal intervention. His wines are precise, expressive, and deeply rooted in place.
When a case from Aurelio García arrived in the post, two bottles had sadly broken in transit. Still, four remained intact—and with those, I took the opportunity to gather my wine club for a focused tasting. We added a few complementary wines for context, but the stars of the evening were clearly Aurelio’s own: La Infanta, +Altitud, Alto de la Cruz, and La Guía. Though we missed out on El Reflejo and Mikaela, the tasting offered a vivid insight into Aurelio’s style across three distinct regions.
Me and Aurelio in the La Infanta parcel, summer of ’23
La Infanta 2021 – Cuenca Cuenca here refers to the Ribera del Júcar zone, though Aurelio prefers not to label his wines under the DO, opting for greater freedom. La Infanta comes from a single parcel in Casas de Benítez and is made from 60% bobal and 40% co-planted local varieties. Delicate and complex, it showed dark berry fruit (dark cherry and plum) on the nose, along with herbal notes, a hint of tar, and a taut, mineral texture. A slightly bitter aftertaste added grip. There was a quiet power to it—restrained, yet full of energy.
+Altitud 2021 – Ávila A village wine from the granite soils of Navatalgordo in the Sierra de Gredos. Light in colour and body, almost ethereal, it offered notes of raspberry, wild strawberry, and flowers, with a fine, lacy texture. This was the most immediately charming wine of the tasting, with several tasters noting its vibrant fruit and finesse.
Alto de la Cruz 2022 – Ávila Also from Navatalgordo, but from a cooler, north-facing valley. Though paler in colour, this wine showed more structure and depth. It opened with herbal tones, redcurrant and floral aromatics, then narrowed into a vertical, mineral finish. There was more volume here, likely from clay soils, with fine-grained tannins and underlying tension.
La Guía 2021 – Soria From Matanza de Soria, a high-altitude village in the eastern part of Ribera del Duero. A blend of tinto fino (tempranillo) and albillo mayor from pre-phylloxera vines, it combined red and dark fruits with floral lift and a subtle hint of nuts. Velvety on the palate, cool and juicy at the core—it struck a fine balance between seriousness and drinkability. For me, this was the most complete wine of the night: subtle, savoury, and quietly profound. Meanwhile, +Altitud stood out for sheer charm and drinkability. While La Infanta and La Guía come in serious bottles with serious price tags, the wines from Gredos are outstanding value for money.
What We Missed
We didn’t get to taste El Reflejo or Mikaela, but here’s what they might have brought to the table:
El Reflejo is Aurelio’s village wine from Cuenca—a blend of bobal and co-planted varieties from around 25 parcels. Fruit-driven and supple, it offers dark and red berries, with freshness and an approachable style.
Mikaela, named after his wife and winemaking partner, is a paraje wine from deeper, pebble-rich soils. Made with whole clusters and aged in foudres, it shows juicy, concentrated fruit with a mineral streak—lively and taut.
Micaela, Celia and Aurelio, summer of ’23
Each wine carried the mark of its place, but all shared a sense of purity, restraint, and precision. Interestingly, my fellow tasters had no difficulty identifying which of the three regions each wine came from—even though the wines were, of course, tasted blind. That in itself is a mark of quality, and a testament to the clarity of Aurelio García’s site expression. Even in the absence of the two missing bottles, the tasting was a clear reminder that Aurelio García is crafting some of Spain’s most thoughtful and terroir-driven wines.
I am not among the ranks of those who follow Bourgogne closely. One reason is that I do my best to keep up with what happens other places, such as the Iberian Peninsula. I could also mention the prices. But then, Bourgogne Côte-d’Or has emerged as an exciting category for wine lovers seeking high-quality wines at more accessible prices than the prestigious appellations. What is more, the director of my local wine shop is a highly regarded expert on Bourgogne. So at a major release of Burgundies, from DRC and downwards, he said that this was a must try.
I have learned that Bouzereau is based in Meursault, where he makes elegant white wines from that appellation. The estate is now run by Michel’s son, Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau. He follows organic practices in the vineyard and employs a gentle winemaking approach to preserve the finesse of the fruit. Bouzereau employs a restrained use of new oak to preserve the wine’s elegance.
The grapes for this wine come from selected plots in the Côte de Beaune. The 2022 vintage was warm, yet retained enough freshness to ensure balance in the wines. The grapes are hand-harvested, partly destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in open-top vats. This cuvée saw one year in barrel, 15% new.
Bright ruby with hints of violet. Aroma of red berries (cherry, raspberry), floral notes and subtle spice. Fresh and delicate in the mouth, with vibrant red fruit, balanced acidity, fine-grained tannins, with a gentle earthiness. A refined, terroir-driven pinot noir with purity of fruit and silky tannins. Beautiful already, but will evolve over the next few years.
Price: Medium
Food: Light meat (veal), roasted duck breast, or a classic wild mushroom risotto
In Toro Álvar de Dios Hernández is taking a new approach, while also respecting the region’s heritage. His journey began in 2008 when he took over a century-old vineyard from his grandfather, situated in El Pego, Zamora. This vineyard, with its sandy soils, survived the phylloxera plague, allowing the ungrafted vines planted in 1919 to thrive. In honor of his grandfather, affectionately known as Aciano, Álvar crafted a wine that encapsulates both familial legacy and the distinct terroir of the place.
Aciano 2018 is a fruit of Álvar’s commitment to sustainable viticulture and minimal intervention winemaking. Produced from tinta de toro (tempranillo) grapes, the wine undergoes natural yeast fermentation, with 60% whole clusters included. It is then aged for 12 months in neutral French oak barrels ranging from 300 to 600 liters. The result is a wine that stands out in the Toro appellation for its elegance and finesse, diverging from the region’s typically robust style. I hope this could be the future.
Aciano 2018(Álvar de Dios)
Dark cherry red. Aromatic herbs, wild berries, and floral notes, exuding freshness and restrained ripeness. On the palate, the wine offers a chalky minerality, a fresh acidity and grainy, sandy tannins that reflect the vineyard’s soil. Good concentration and decent length.
In September 2024, João Tavares de Pina’s estate, Quinta da Boavista in Penalva do Castelo, Portugal, was devastated by a wildfire. The blaze reduced the family home to ashes and destroyed 85% of the vineyards.
To support João and his family during this challenging time, friends and colleagues organized several solidarity initiatives. Among them was a wine lottery, where winemakers from various countries donated special bottles to raise funds for the reconstruction of Quinta da Boavista. Additionally, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to provide further support.
At Simplesmente Vinho 2025, João presented a wine as part of his own crowdfunding project. Terras de Tavares Reserva 2004, made from touriga nacional, jaen and rufete, is a richly textured and mature wine—dark with brown hues at the edges—offering aromas of ripe and dried fruits, plums, and prunes, alongside flavors of ripe berries, spices, and dark chocolate, with silky tannins. The project itself is well worth supporting, but the wine is also truly exceptional.
Simplesmente Vinho offered this year for the first time three special tastings. One of them was dedicated to Quinta do Infantado and the release of a limited edition 50 year old tawny. The festival’s own João Roseira and his son Álvaro, now responsible winemaker, guided us through around ten wines and samples, before they presented the new tawny.
João Roseira presenting the rare tawny
The release marks 50 years since the Portuguese Revolution, which ended the dictatorship and ushered in democracy. This special edition not only commemorates that historic moment but also pays tribute to João’s father, Luís Roseira, who was instrumental in Quinta do Infantado’s pioneering shift to estate-bottling.
The Roseira family has owned and managed Quinta do Infantado for over a century. In 1979, Luís Roseira, born on February 23, 1924, together with his brother António, led the estate’s groundbreaking decision to bottle its own wines—breaking with the tradition of selling bulk Port to the large houses in Vila Nova de Gaia. This made Quinta do Infantado the first independent producer to bottle its own Ports in the Douro region.
50 Year Old Tawny Luís Roseira(Quinta do Infantado)
Deep mahogany with greenish hue towards the rim. Intense and complex bouquet with layers of dried fruits (figs, dates, and raisins), with caramelized nuts, toffee and nutmeg, along with hints of orange peel and coffee. Concentrated on the palate, with a rich texture balanced by vibrant acidity, with flavours that mirror the aromas, alongside a subtle minerality. The finish is extremely long, with a dry, nutty aftertaste and delicate bitter notes like dark chocolate and espresso. This 50-year-old Tawny Port from Quinta do Infantado is a masterpiece. It reminds me of an exceptional old PX sherry, but it’s less sweet. It has multiple possibilities for pairing with food. But it is also a wine for meditation.
I am concluding a three-day visit to the breathtaking island of Pico, where vines grow between black volcanic rock walls, protected from the fierce Atlantic winds. This UNESCO-listed landscape tells a story of resilience, tradition, and wines with striking minerality and a taste of the sea.
Every stone wall, every vine, and every bottle speaks of centuries of adaptation and determination. Pico’s wines are not just a product of nature but of human perseverance.
I can explain the technical terms like currais and cañadas—and I will, later. But when it comes to the impression these vineyards leave on me, words fall short. The scarce soil they have was transported from neighboring islands some 500 years ago.
A heartfelt thank you to the producers who welcomed me, sharing their wines, stories, and challenges. A special thanks to João Roseira of Simplesmente Vinho for sending me on this journey, and to Fortunato García from Czar for organising an unforgettable visit. I’ll be back.
This wine was served in a tasting of Lebanese wines in my local wine club this week. It was the only sparkling wine, or pét nat, and stood out in more than one way.
The producer is Mersel Wine, named after the region Maksar Mersel, which is the highest viticultural region in Lebanon. The grapes for this wine however are grown in Deir El Ahmar, Bekaa Valley at “only” 1.200 meters altitude.
Mersel’s wines are made naturally, with very little or no sulfites. They are unfiltered and unfined and fruits of organic farming methods.
Eddie Chami, the winemaker at Mersel Wine, was born and raised in Australia. He doesn’t speak French and didn’t want Mersel to be associated with the French wine making influence in Lebanon. He has a passion for wines made by local Lebanese indigenous grape varieties. This said, the red Leb Nat is made from cinsault. After almost 200 years in the country (first planted by jesuits in the mid 19th century) the grape has long been acclimatised to Lebanese conditions though. By the way, Mersel was the first winery in the country to launch a pét nat.
The grapes are pressed, then the juice and pulp spend 5 days together before fermentation starts. The wine then ferments for about 20 days at 14°C, is then bottled and completes fermentation in the bottle, where it rests on lees for 1 year.
Leb Nat 2022(Mersel Wine)
Cherry red with small bubbles. Smells of cherry and raspberry, with herbs. Fresh in the mouth with energetic acidity, lightly bubbly, with a slight touch of tannins (the same structure or dryness as the still red cinsaults in the tasting), and finishes dry. Quite peculiar; in a way it reminded me of a clarete (a mix of red and white grapes), on the other hand I also found a surprising tannic dryness.
I’m back in Porto, for this year’s edition of Simplesmente… Vinho. Starting officially tomorrow, but we are now gathered in Niepoort’s lodge. Leader of one of the classic port producers, Dirk Niepoort, was among those who spearheaded today’s boom in 2008 with his collaboration with Equipo Navazos and the wine Navazos Niepoort. The wine was made from grapes grown in an albariza vineyard in Jerez and fermented without fortification, undergoing a period under flor, thus combining freshness, depth, and a subtle saline character. It quickly became a cult wine.
Tonight, Dirk poured both the 2014 and 2016 vintages of that wine, alongside some backlog vintages of his reds and a stunning white port from 1895. Ricardo Freitas from Barbeito added to the lineup with an exceptional 50 year old Madeira..
Ricardo Freitas presenting his contribution. Dirk Niepoort next to him.
The Jerez boom is about a return to the vineyard, organic farming, and singular wines. It is this movement that Simplesmenteseeks to highlight by presenting 14 producers from the sherry region this year—both raw and refined. That same energy—of pushing boundaries while respecting history—is what Simplesmente Vinho is all about.
Beyond the wines, the evening took on an artistic dimension as well, with guests contributing their own creative expressions—spontaneous, vibrant, and very much in the spirit of the gathering.
Ramiro Ibáñez and Willy Pérez, two of the leading lights in today’s boom
From tomorrow, the focus shifts to Alfândega do Porto, where the festival truly comes alive. The grand riverside space will host winemakers, drinkers, and thinkers from across Iberia, with a special spotlight on the producers from Marco de Jerez. They’ve come to challenge perceptions, to pour wines that blur the lines between past and future, between oxidative depth and raw immediacy.
Luis Pérez is one of the leading producers in the new wave of Jerez. I reviewed a pasto wine in September last year. Here you can learn what it is, if you don’t already know, and also get an introduction to the producer.
Caberrubia is a non vintage wine from the El Corregidor estate in the Carrascal pago. It’s named a palma, a classification for especially fine wines in the fino style.
The grapes are palomino fino trained in gobelet, from a 40 years old vineyard. The producer’s website tells that the harvesters go through the vineyard from the beginning of August to the end of September selecting bunches for different types of wines. The first pickings are for the greenest bunches on the plant. From these they make a wine with low alcohol and high acidity, that is used to correct the rest of the wines. The third of five pickings is the base for the palmas such as Caberrubia.
The vinification is typical: Light pressing and fermentation in the barrel, packing in December and approximately three and a half years of biological ageing.
There have been various sacas (bottlings) of the wine. Now we have come to the seventh. With Saca VII they have expanded the selection to 17 botas (typical sherry casks), mostly 2017, 2018 and 2019, and small proportions of previous vintages. With this assemblage they seek a style that is representative for the vineyard, that is “an inland character, roundness and concentration, without losing the elegance and finesse that defines all the previous sacas”. According to the new legislation a wine can be called sherry even if it’s not fortified, only if it has reached 15º of alcohol. This saca has not reached that level, so it’s not released as a fino within the D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, but as a white wine.
Caberrubia Saca VII(Luis Pérez)
Deep golden. Complex aroma with fresh fruits like baked apples and peach, complemented by nuts, and a touch of flor and salt. Good volume in the mouth, concentrated and smooth, salty and long. It has more power than the previous saca, but it’s also very elegant.
Price: Medium-high
Food: Aperitif, various tapas incl. asparagus, cheese and nuts, also nice with rice and spicy dishes
