Comando G, Vinos de Madrid, Bruja Rozas 2022 - 75cl

La Bruja de Rozas — the Witch of Rozas — takes her name from the strange grey light that hangs over Rozas de Puerto Real, up in the hills where these vines grow. It is the most approachable wine in the Comando G range, and the one that first made people rethink what Spanish Garnacha could be.

Fernando García and Dani Landi started Comando G in 2008 with a simple obsession — old-vine Garnacha, farmed high on the granite of the Sierra de Gredos, made to be delicate rather than heavy. This bottling draws on vines between fifty and ninety years old, planted on granitic sand at around 900 metres. Fruit is picked whole-cluster, fermented with wild yeasts, then rested in large oak. For 2022 the wine sits under the broader Vinos de Madrid DO — a regional cuvée as the team channels its village work further south.

What you get is Garnacha that drinks like fine Pinot. A perfumed nose of red cherry, wild raspberry, dried herbs and crushed granite; a palate that is medium-bodied, fresh and sapid, with fine chalky tannin and none of the heat or jam you might brace for at 14%. The stems lend savoury lift, the altitude keeps it taut, and the finish comes through cool and stony.

Serve it slightly chilled on a warm evening and it sings. This is Garnacha for people who think they do not like Garnacha.

How to Serve

Serve cool, 14-15°C — an hour in the fridge does it. No decant needed, though a Burgundy bowl flatters the perfume. Do not over-warm it.

Where to Drink It

Planque in Haggerston, exactly the room for granite Garnacha. The Wolseley, for a lighter red by the glass. Noble Rot, whose list has long championed Gredos.

Food Pairings

Grilled lamb cutlets with rosemary suit the wine's herbal edge. On a hot day, I would drink it lightly chilled alongside charcuterie and a bowl of marcona almonds.