Rafael Cambra Soplo 2024

Rafael Cambra Soplo is a Garnacha red from the high inland country of Fontanars dels Alforins, in D.O. Valencia. Cambra is a small grower working organically and with minimal intervention, and his vines sit in the Serra de l'Ombria on clay and limestone soils at around 750 metres above sea level, under a Mediterranean climate. That altitude is the key to the wine: warm days ripen the Garnacha fully while cool nights slow the loss of acidity, so the fruit stays fresh and the wine keeps a lift despite the southern latitude. The limestone in the soil adds to that sense of freshness and structure. After fermentation the wine spends four months in French oak barrels, a short pass that rounds the texture and frames the fruit without laying down heavy wood or vanilla. It is medium bodied with gentle tannins, showing fresh raspberry and cherry, a floral note and a savoury, lightly peppery finish. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees in a standard glass. It is an easy match for roast pork, grilled chicken and mushroom dishes.