This month we are back in Granada, raising our glass to the small local producers who continue crafting serious wines despite long droughts and merciless summer heat.

3 Crianza Tinto 2020 D.O. Granada – Tempranillo, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon

One such gem is Vertijana 3, 2020, a wine born at high altitudes where the Sierra Nevada towers over sunburnt slopes and dry riverbeds. These vineyards fight for every drop of water and every cool night breeze—a struggle that translates into wines of remarkable character and tension.

At over 1,000m altitude, on stony soils and under a punishing sun tempered by cold mountain nights, the vines survive against the odds. The result: low yields, concentrated fruit, and a freshness that belies the southern latitude.

The D.O. Granada covers vineyards often planted among the highest in Europe. Here, thin mountain air, rocky soils, and dramatic day–night temperature swings create a natural balance: hot, dry days give concentration and ripeness; cold nights preserve acidity and aromatic freshness.

This is why French varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, more at home in Bordeaux’s Atlantic climate, do surprisingly well here. The altitude slows ripening, the soils force deep rooting, and mountain breezes relieve the summer extremes — producing wines with Mediterranean generosity yet the structure and freshness typical of more temperate regions.

All this unfolds against a spectacular backdrop: rugged peaks to the north, the Mediterranean glittering to the south, and rolling hills carved by olive groves and almond trees. A hard, beautiful land — and you can taste it in the wine.

Vertijana 3 is a Bordeaux-style blend with a Mediterranean twist: Tempranillo, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon (the blend varies slightly by vintage). Hot, dry days concentrate the fruit; cold nights preserve acidity; and minimal rainfall (barely 400mm/year) forces the roots deep into the mineral-rich soils, pulling out the earthy whispers that give this wine its distinctive edge.

In the glass, ripe plum tones with hints of garnet announce a wine of maturity and warmth, bright and clear, with long, slow tears promising structure and depth. The nose opens with red and black fruits — cherries, plums, blackberries — then black pepper spice, subtle oak smokiness, and a faint earthy undertone.

On the palate, Vertijana 3 is intense yet balanced: lively acidity, firm but polished tannins, and a ripe, rounded core. Twelve months in French and American oak bring depth and complexity without masking the fruit, giving the wine both seriousness and approachability.

Serve at 15–16 °C with grilled lamb chops with rosemary, aged Manchego with quince, or wild mushroom risotto — dishes that echo the wine’s earthy, spicy character.

89–91 Bruja points; 10–12 EUR; available from Olivares or directly from the winery: bodegasvertijana.es

(News/Feature: Wine)

keywords: Vertijana 3, D.O. Granada, Tempranillo, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon