You'll be very hard-pressed to find a more impressive wine at this price than this absolute cracker from Castillo de Aresan. Few wines pack so much flavour and texture into such a well-priced package.

The Lomo Alto is one of the stars of their range. It's a blend of grapes (Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot), all of which perform well in the hot La Mancha climate. The vineyards are at an average 750m altitude, so the cooler nighttime temperatures ensure the grapes retain a good level of acidity and lead to well-balanced wines. 

This wine isn't barrel-aged, however, you could be forgiven for thinking that it is, such is the depth and complexity of flavour. It's rich in texture and has concentrated flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant and sweet spice.

The bottle's label suggests that this is a wine to accompany your favourite cut of beef. Indeed it will do very well, but to be honest, this is a wine to be enjoyed every day of the week with whatever you're eating. We certainly do.

This very delicate pink coloured rose from central Spain is fresh and lively. It's summer berries that dominate on the nose and palate, but there is also a lsightly floral note on the nose, and the palate finishes with ahint of pink grapefruit to give it a real lift.

It's beautifully presented and such an exceptional wine for the price.

We're really pleased with this find from the sun-drenched vineyards of Castilla in Spain. Old Vines tend to produce richer, more intense wines, and that's certainly the case here. This deeply coloured wine made from forty year old vines has concentrated aromas of rich berries and lifted soft strawberries characters on the palate. It is the embodiment of Tempranillo, and at this price an absolute steal.

If Verdejo is not on your white grape radar then this should be your introduction. It's a very friendly white wine that is dominated by stone fruit aromas and flavours. As well as this vibrant fruit there is the faintest almond note in the background (a classic Verdejo trait) that sits so well with the peachy flavour. It's un-oaked and has a fresh acidity thanks to the high altitude at which the vines are grown.

From the producer: Our property in Spain, in the wine region of La Mancha, is entirely organically farmed thanks to its geographical location and natural climatic conditions. Indeed, the property of 200 ha in one piece around the cellar makes the monitoring easier and it easier to react in the vineyard. It is located at an altitude of 750m which gives to our plants a natural protection against diseases and a reduction of insect populations.

As a result, we do not need to do a lot of treatments to protect the vine.

Also, Castillo de Aresan is the only property with 100% of its products in organic farming in the region.

 

In the spirit of our approach in Organic Farming, we wanted to take a step further at Castillo de Aresan for the natural environment and work in a vegan approach with 100% vegetable wines.

This wonderful organic Sauvignon Blanc is incredibly fresh and vibrant given the hot central Spain climate. They've managed to capture some lovely citrus notes that are common to many good Sauvignons. It's a touch lower in acidity and, therefore, rounder and softer in texture than the coolest climate Sauvignons, but we think this just adds to its allure.

What a revelation this wine is. The first wine on our shelves to be aged in ex Bourbon barrels, and the result is terrific. It's rich in currant and dark fruits, but added to this is a delicious layer of vanilla and cocoa. This sweet spice element is the perfect foil for Cabernet Sauvignon, so do not hesitate to give this wine a go, it's a cracker.

The Tempranillo TORO was chosen because of its lovely combination of fruit and spice. Fruity Tempranillos are not uncommon, and this is packed full of Strawberry, raspberry and cherry flavours, but alongside this is a lovely sweet spice that's not so common. In all this makes for a really interesting red that is medium bodied and good to keep in the rack for any occasion. 

From the producer: Our property in Spain, in the wine region of La Mancha, is entirely organically farmed thanks to its geographical location and natural climatic conditions. Indeed, the property of 200 ha in one piece around the cellar makes the monitoring easier and it easier to react in the vineyard. It is located at an altitude of 750m which gives to our plants a natural protection against diseases and a reduction of insect populations.

As a result, we do not need to do a lot of treatments to protect the vine.

Also, Castillo de Aresan is the only property with 100% of its products in organic farming in the region.

 

In the spirit of our approach in Organic Farming, we wanted to take a step further at Castillo de Aresan for the natural environment and work in a vegan approach with 100% vegetable wines.

This is an excellent example of the Syrah grape from central Spain. There is some vivid blackberry and blackcurrant on the nose along with a hint of violet (very common in Syrah). The palate is ripe and fruit laden, it's smooth textured and has a lovely silky finish to it.

From the producer: Our property in Spain, in the wine region of La Mancha, is entirely organically farmed thanks to its geographical location and natural climatic conditions. Indeed, the property of 200 ha in one piece around the cellar makes the monitoring easier and it easier to react in the vineyard. It is located at an altitude of 750m which gives to our plants a natural protection against diseases and a reduction of insect populations.

As a result, we do not need to do a lot of treatments to protect the vine.

Also, Castillo de Aresan is the only property with 100% of its products in organic farming in the region.

 

In the spirit of our approach in Organic Farming, we wanted to take a step further at Castillo de Aresan for the natural environment and work in a vegan approach with 100% vegetable wines.

 

 

Another cracking wine from Castillo de Aresan. This time they've blended Sauvignon Blanc with their signature white grape, Verdejo. The result is a wine that combines vibrant tropical and citrus fruit from the Sauvignon with the softer texture and hint of almond from the Verdejo. The wine has a freshness and vibrancy that is sometimes lacking in hot climate whites, due largely to the fact that the vines are grown at altitude, bringing cooler nightime temperatures and with it a higher level of vibrant acidity.

Much of Spain's vineyards are devoted to the commercial grape varieties that we all know and love such as Tempranillo and Syrah, but there are also small plots of older, native varieties such as Graciano, Monastrell, Tinto Velasco that farmers have preserved out of a sense of pride or interest in their history to bring together lots of things that we "love" about Spain, from the dry grown bush vines seemingly being watered by magic, amongst the abundant saffron croci that are common across La Mancha. Today we recognise more and more the value of this diversity and the wealth of flavours of some of these older varieties when they come together in a blend.

Deep intense purple colour. Rich ripe, spiced and brambly fruit, pure and mouthfilling with round tannins, and a lively finish.

A great expression of the Cabernet Franc grape, from a hotter climate than usual.

The warmth of central Spain takes away some of the greenness and high acidity that the grape is often known for, but ensures that the vibrant red fruit and dark cherry that the variety is known for is there in abundance. The result is a medium-bodied wine that has a nice roundness to it and is to be drunk when young and the fruit flavours are most prominent.