2022 Bodegas Venta La Vega Adaras Aldea

The 2022 Bodegas Venta La Vega Adaras Aldea comes from Almansa, a high-elevation DO in southeastern Spain where organically farmed vineyards sit at 1,200 meters on rocky limestone soils. This is the entry-level bottling from an estate that punches well above its price point, built on a blend of Garnacha Tintorera with Garnacha and Syrah, aged briefly in oak. The altitude and cool mountain microclimate give the wine a freshness you don't expect from inland Spain, and the technical team behind it — winemaker José Ángel Martínez of Envínate alongside legendary Bierzo oenologist Raúl Pérez — ensures the wine drinks clean and intentional. Bodegas Venta La Vega is a project that reflects both place and people. José Ángel Martínez, a member of the Envínate collective known for site-driven, minimal-intervention winemaking across Spain's Atlantic regions, has brought that sensibility to Almansa's continental vineyards. Working with Raúl Pérez, whose fingerprints are on some of Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra's most compelling wines, the estate farms organically and treats the limestone-rich soils with the respect they deserve. The Adaras Aldea sees gentle extraction, modest oak aging, and bottling with minimal intervention — a house style that lets the fruit and terroir speak clearly. The 2022 vintage captures the estate's philosophy: place first, technique second, the bottle as a transparent vessel for Almansa's surprising elegance. The wine shows fresh, juicy red fruit — cherry and plum — with a floral lift of violet, a little chalky minerality from the limestone, and soft spice that reads more like black pepper than vanilla. Tannins are well-knit and medium-bodied, making it easy to drink now but structured enough to improve over the next two to three years. It's a natural pairing for grilled sausages, duck confit, or a cheese board leaning toward aged Manchego or creamy blues. Pour it slightly cool — around 60 degrees — to keep the acidity bright and the fruit expressive. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.