Top Vinos of 2020
2020 Top Wines!
As traditions has it, every year during the month of December our co-founders pick the top wines of the year. We usually pick five wines but this year we are doing six!
Our guidelines for picking the top wines are as follow: we discovered the wines during the calendar year, they are honest wines with a sense of place, terroir and most importantly, drinkability. They represent the core focus of Grand Cata, vinos honestos latinoamericanos and from heritage nations.
First-most, a shoutout to Mexican wines. A lesser known wine region that we rediscover this year and we proudly had a wine club dedicated to vinos Mexicanos. We are thrilled to have a growing selection of quality juice from the first region in the Americas to plant vines. We love vinos Mexicanos and we will continue to push you to taste more of them.
Second, this year was the year of lesser known varieties. In our top six we highlight a Garnacha from Sierra de Gredos in Spain, a silky Baga from Bairrada, Portugal, an impressive expressions of a Chilean Petit Sirah, a high-altitude Syrah blend from Elqui Valley in Chile, a complex-layered old vine Semillón from La Patagonia Argentina, and you guessed it, a vino Mexico made of Chardonnay and Vermentino.
During this year we didn’t taste as much “new” wines as we usually do. But with what we tasted we are proud to present to you our top six that made a mark in our palates. We love these selections so much that we couldn't pick them in order of preference, we just have them organized starting with the whites and transitioning to the reds.
Casa Magoni - Chardonnay- Vermentino, Valle de Guadalupe, México $25
Mineral richness with herbal-floral notes of chamomile, fresh dill, with golden apples, green pears and refreshing dry finish. We recommend enjoying this gem with Baja style fish tacos.
Matias Riccitelli, Old Vine Semillon, Patagonia, Argentina $42
Layered-complex Semillón with aging potential. On the nose a medley of citrus and stone fruits, great weight on the mid-palate, sharp but elegant acidity and mineral concentration on the finish. Pairs well with traditional Argentine empanadas de humita or empanadas of mushrooms with cheese.
4 Monos, Garnacha, Sierra de Gredos, España $24
One of the oldest wine regions in Spain, just west of Madrid, this old bush vine Garnacha based blend grows in rich granite-sandy-mineral soils in high altitude. The wine developed fresh layered black fruits, mineral concentration and super silky tannins. A staff favorite all year long. Pairs well with Peruvian style anticuchos made of marinated skirt steak with fresh chimichurri.
Casa de Saima, Baga, Bairrada, Portugal $25
One of our favorite indigenous varieties from Portugal, the Baga grape. This variety is compared with the noble Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo due to its high acid and high tannins. When done well, such as this one, you will get one of the silkiest wines that will have you reaching for a second glass. This Baga is from the coastal influence region of Bairrada. Polish nose with dark plums, cherries, licorice, leather and spices, astonishing mid palate with silky elegant finish. Pairs well with a delicious Portuguese style beef stew with seasonal potatoes.
Viñedos de Alcohuaz, Grus, Syrah Blend, Elqui Valley, Chile $35
Our co-founder Pedro had the pleasure to visit this producer in January 2020. He was blown away with the scenery of the high altitude hill side landscape and the quality of the wines. Viñedos de Alcohuaz sits in the highest elevation vineyards in Chile. Hidden in the Elqui region in northern Chile, they specialize mostly in Rhône Varieties such as Syrah and Garnacha. The Grus is their take of a fresh-vibrant and complex Syrah based blend. Layers upon layers of red-black fruits baking spices and fresh mineral concentration. One to savor now or hold for 5-7 years. Pairs well with lamb chops with a pomegranate wine reduction.
Serenpidia, Petit Sirah, Peumo, Chile $33
Another “Selected by Grand Cata” a wine that we directly imported this year. Serendipia produces limited amounts of top quality Bordeax style wines with a Chilean interpretation of terroir. Sitting in the tiny sub-region of Peumo in the Cachapoal Valley, we came across this producer when we visited Chile in January 2020. We have never tasted a Petit Syrah with so much elegance, vibrancy on the nose and palate and with precision for fruits, acidity, minerals and tannins. We felt right away in love with this wine and you will too. Pairs well with your traditional smoked meats such as briquet and sausages.