Envinate, Albahra Garnacha Tintorera 2021 - 150cl
This is the magnum — a litre and a half of Envínate's Albahra, and the format is the point. Larger bottles age more slowly and pour more generously, which makes this the version to reach for when there's a crowd, a long lunch, or a table you don't want to keep getting up from. It's the same wine that made the four friends behind Envínate one of the most admired names in Spain, scaled up for company.
Albahra comes from Almansa in Castilla-La Mancha. The blend is around 70% Garnacha Tintorera — the red-fleshed grape also called Alicante Bouschet — with roughly 30% Moravia Agria, an old local variety that keeps the acid bright. The vines sit at 800 metres, where cold nights lock in freshness. About half the fruit is fermented whole-bunch with native yeasts, then the wine rests eight months in concrete on its lees. No new oak, no fuss.
Expect a deeply coloured but nimble red at just 13% alcohol. Violets and blue fruit lead the nose, with wild flowers, Mediterranean herbs and a saline lift. The palate is juicy and crunchy — mulberry, dark berries, a savoury earthiness, fine lacy tannins and a fresh close. In magnum it feels even more relaxed and slow to tire in the glass. Bring it out for a gathering; it's a bottle that gets a room talking.
How to Serve
Serve at 14–16°C, lightly chilled to show the whole-bunch freshness. A magnum takes longer to cool, so give it extra time on ice. No decanting required, though the big bottle is a fine centrepiece poured straight at the table.
Where to Drink It
The River Cafe, where a magnum suits the long, convivial lunch. Brat in Shoreditch, for a group around the grill. Planque in Haggerston, if you want the natural-wine crowd's approval.
Food Pairings
A shoulder of lamb for the table, or platters of grilled vegetables and charcuterie that everyone picks at. The wine's acidity and gentle tannins make it an easy friend to a spread rather than a single plate.
