En Voz Baja El Outsider 2023

En Voz Baja is the project of Carlos Mazo and his wife Isa in the warm, low-lying Rioja Baja, in the south-east of the appellation where Garnacha thrives. El Outsider is a natural, organic and vegan red built on Garnacha with Tempranillo and the rare local Rojal. Farming is organic and the winemaking follows a minimal intervention approach, reviving older traditions in the cellar. The wine is aged for twelve months in glass demijohns rather than oak. Glass is inert, so the wine ages reductively without taking on wood flavour or rapid oxidation, which keeps the fruit bright and the texture light while the long time on its fine sediment adds a little roundness. With no fining or heavy extraction, the result is a wine that leans on freshness rather than power despite the warm origin. The colour is bright cherry red. The nose shows wild red berries, fresh cherry and redcurrant over a dusty, earthy, herbal note. The palate is light bodied and juicy, with soft tannins, lively acidity and a peppery finish. Serve at 14 to 16 degrees, lightly chilled if you prefer. It suits grilled pork and roast chicken.