94 points - "After the Chingao bottling, there is a creamy and spicy whiff in the 2023 Albahra, which makes it feel more mainstream. It's juicy and aromatic and has a medium-bodied palate, contained ripeness, 13% alcohol and good balance, with some fine-grained tannins. Last year, they introduced some white Pardilla grapes in the blend that seem to have given it freshness and a kick in the palate, which is Mediterranean, with good freshness and a balanced mouthfeel." - Luis Gutiérrez (The Wine Advocate)

94 points - "This shows really lovely aromas of violets, stones and dried herbs. The palate is juicy, with succulent blue fruit flavors. Precise and savory. Amazing value. Drink now." - Jacobo Garcia-Andrade Llamas (jamessuckling.com)

Importer's Notes:

'Albahra' is a Moorish word meaning 'Small Sea,' it's a reference to the flat, shallow basin near Albacete where Envinate's Albahra vineyard lies. The area is indeed an ancient, now drained sea bed, as evidenced by the limestone bedrock shot through with fossilised seashells, all of which now rests on the edge of Spain's central plateau at about 800m above current sea levels. Although we typically associate Envinate with 'Atlantic' wines the combination of neglected heritage varietals, interesting vineyards and the proximity to Envinate members' Laura and Alfonso's homes made it possible to include this, single Mediterranean cuvee in Envinate's repertoire.

Albahra is primarily Garnacha Tintorrera, the red fleshed grape that is deemed unworthy to be made into wine by the Spanish authorities. But over the years it's seen increasing amounts of the local, nearly extinct varietal Moravia Agria added to the blend. In part this is inspired by the one and only Juan Antonio Ponce - a Albacete local who almost single handedly championed Moravia Agria with his 'Buena Pinta' cuvee - a wine and winemaker who the Envinate clan hold in very high esteem! With Moravia Agria adding structure to the deeper-set fruit weight of Garnacha Tintorrera, Albahra comes across as a medium bodied but beautifully lifted and poised wine; as fresh and vibrant as you'd expect from the Envinate team but with the definitely garrigue-herbal stamp of the Mediterranean and the plush front palate Garnacha fruit, all tied together with a lick of limestone-salinity. And it has the added advantage of carrying the more economical pricing and bigger yeilds of the Mediterranean wine regions!