Bottler: Remírez de Ganuza, Constitución 1, 01307 Samaniego-Alava / Spain
In the glass
Colour
Transparent cherry red
Nose
A typical Garnacha nose with red fruits and floral notes, unusually intense, profound and fresh – a fragrant, sensual bouquet
Palate
Crisply fresh and powerful with magnificent tension, a slender body, fine tannins and peppery spice; complex, intense and with a finish that lingers for minutes
Character
Breathes the spirit of the new Spain – freshness over ripeness, finesse over opulence; brilliantly balanced with a unique personality, clearly different from the house’s powerful Reservas
Pairing
Herb-crusted rack of lamb, grilled vegetable skewers with rosemary, mature Manchego
Notes
The first vintage of Iraila. The Garnacha comes from three old vineyards in upper San Vicente de la Sonsierra: La Rad (1973), El Convento (1966) and Sisabal (1940). Eleven months of ageing in French barriques, cigar barrels and 400-litre ceramic vessels, with 1,000 to 2,100 bottles per vintage. Decanter World Wine Awards 2023: 97 points.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Transparent cherry red with a pale rim.
Nose
A clear Garnacha picture of red fruits and floral notes, along with a touch of pepper. The bouquet is intense and deep while remaining fresh and cool.
Palate
Fresh and powerful despite its slender body. The tannins are fine, and the peppery spice carries through into the long finish. Alongside the estate’s Reservas, the Iraila appears light and taut, built entirely on freshness and finesse.
Terroir & origin
The grapes come from three old vineyards in the upper part of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, on the Rioja Alta side of the Sonsierra: La Rad (1973), El Convento (1966) and Sisabal (1940). La Rad also provides the fruit for UV, the estate’s first single-varietal Tempranillo. Iraila, Olagar and UV form the new line that Remírez de Ganuza, under the Urtasun family, vinifies entirely from the Sonsierra; the classic red wines come from nine villages at the foot of the Sierra Cantabria.
Grape variety & vinification
100% Garnacha. Hand-harvested, sorted on a sorting table, destemmed and transferred as whole berries into the tank by gravity. After 48 hours of cold maceration, the must ferments with indigenous yeasts, with daily pump-overs and punch-downs of the cap. The wine then matures for eleven months in French barriques, cigar-shaped barrels and 400-litre ceramic vessels.
Food recommendations
With rack of lamb with a herb crust, grilled vegetable skewers with rosemary or aged Manchego. The wine’s peppery spice pairs beautifully with herbs and roasted aromas.
Special features
2020 is the first vintage of the Iraila, followed by 2021, 2022 and 2024. Only 1,000 to 2,100 bottles are produced per vintage. At the Decanter World Wine Awards 2023, the 2020 received 97 points.
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