Rolland and Galarreta go organic in La Mancha

Winemaker Michel Rolland and Spanish entrepreneur Javier Galarreta have collaborated to launch an organic wine from La Mancha under the newly-unveiled Rolland Galarreta brand.

The range addition is made from organically-grown grapes from La Mancha and comprises 50% Tempranillo and 50% Syrah.

In its first vintage, from the 2013 harvest, 70,000 litres have been produced, with around 40% of the wine aged in oak casks for one year.

As previously reported by the drinks business, The Rolland Galarreta selection features Spanish wines from Rueda, Rioja and Ribera del Duero, and was first launched in October last year at a tasting and lunch at Tribeca Grill in New York.

The pair began their collaboration in 2010 with the goal of producing “singular wines that retain the character of the region with an appeal to the international palate”, offering both quality and value with a suggested retail price of US$24 to $26.

Around 800,000 bottles across the range are currently being produced, of which just over half comes from Rioja, where Javier Galarreta’s vision began.

While acknowledging this “ambitious volume,” Galarreta insists “the prospects are excellent, especially because these premium wines have an unbeatable price-value ratio.”

Indeed, he predicts that, “R&G will son become one of the leading Spanish brands in the premium wine market.”

Javier Galarreta is president and director general of Araex Rioja Alavesa and Spanish Fine Wines, S.L, established in 1993 by a group of wineries to market Rioja Alavesa wines.

Michel Rolland, based in Bordeaux, is one of the world’s most influential winemakers and consults for more than 150 estates around the world in France, the United States, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Italy and India.