Alberto Orte "Vara y Pulgar" Tintilla 2020

“dried cranberry, rosemary, and hibiscus”

Jackson’s Notes: Alberto Orte is a phenomenon. He’s brought grapes back from the brink of extinction, made wine in almost every major Spanish wine region, founded an import company, and worked dozens of vintages. He’s a virtuoso in both the vineyard and winery, as evidenced by the breadth of cuvées he makes across the country. Unlike other “flying winemakers” who apply formulaic techniques to diverse places and grapes, he has let the voice of each of the Orte vineyard sites speak for itself. The true talent is in knowing how to step aside.

Orte lives in the Sherry region of coastal Andalucia, where he makes a wide range of local wines. His greatest achievement is his vineyard work–excelling with organic viticulture in a region that hasn’t embraced it. If you walk through his vineyards, which Gretchen and I did in early April, you’ll see thriving animal and plant life, in stark contrast to the sterile and cracked earth of his neighbors’ plots. He understands at a deep level that healthy soils produce more nuanced and textured wines.

This Vara y Pulgar is a testament to Alberto’s extensive vineyard work, taking a once-obscure grape called Tintilla and propagating it. It’s been grown for a long time in the Cádiz and Jerez region, but was often grown and vinified cheaply.

Vara y Pulgar Tintilla attacks with chewy notes of dried cranberry, rosemary, and hibiscus. The fruit rides a perfect line between tart and jammy, evoking the sun-soaked plains of Andalucia.