Cuevas de Arom is a new Calatayud project founded by two friends, Mario López and Master of Wine Fernando Mora. The project’s aim is to redefine the style of the region, by producing elegant, fresh expressions of Garnacha. In their search for Spain’s finest and forgotten Garnacha plantings, Cuevas de Arom became a joint venture with Bodegas San Alejandro. This unique cooperative winery champions the conservation of old vines, as well as the development of organic and sustainable viticulture. Bodegas San Alejandro still owns some of the oldest, highest vineyards in the region planted on precipitous slopes, offering Cuevas de Arom access to the best Garnacha fruit.

The region of Calatayud is located far inland, south of Zaragoza in Aragon. Here the climate is warm and continental with very low rainfall. Fernando was determined to unlock the potential of the region’s oldest Garnacha vineyards, located on high-elevation plateaus at 600 to 1,000 metres. This elevation, combined with the vineyards’ northerly aspect, moderates the region’s warm climate and provides a wide diurnal range. The result is perfectly paced, slow ripening, allowing for the development of complex aromatics, while preserving the grapes’ naturally fresh acidity. Fernando has spent years uncovering old, dry-farmed bush vines planted on friable Precambrian slate and quartzite. These rocky, free-draining soils, combined with the vines’ age, produce very low yields and naturally controlled vigour, imparting a signature depth and intensity in the wines. Balance is integral to Fernando’s wines with naturally high acidity tempering the wine’s vivid fruit profile. The parcels are farmed using sustainable and organic practices, with some certified organic.

Cuevas de Arom’s fruit is harvested by hand before manual sorting in the cellar and foot treading. Wooden vats and concrete tanks are used for fermentation, which lasts about one month. Whole bunch is at the centre of Fernando’s winemaking philosophy, with the inclusion of stems, to produce a signature freshness and perfume in the wines. Fernando and Mario use only manual punch downs, producing delicate, fine-grained tannins. They select concrete, old wood and clay vessels for ageing to highlight the purity of Garnacha and to preserve the wines’ supple texture.

The ‘Altas Parcelas’ (previously known as ‘AROM’) is sourced from vineyards planted at 600 to 800 metres above sea level, on quartz and slate soils. The grapes are fermented with indigenous yeasts, using 30% whole bunches, before being aged for 12 months in concrete. The resulting wine offers a superbly balanced expression of Garnacha with bright and fragrant aromas of blackcurrant, white pepper and thyme, supported by firm tannins and beautiful freshness, quite unlike a traditional Spanish Garnacha. The ‘As Ladieras’, named after the Aragonese dialect word for ‘slopes’ is sourced from a single vineyard on a steep, north-facing slope. Planted at an elevation of 850 metres on Precambrian slate soils, Fernando describes this site as his ‘Premier Cru’. The grapes are 100% whole bunch fermented, before ageing for 10 months in a combination of concrete and 500-litre old barrels. It has a brighter, more red-fruit profile than the ‘Altas Parcelas’, with lifted notes of red cherry and wild herbs such as bay, rosemary and lavender. Light on its feet, it deftly balances serious concentration with juicy acidity.