Why it matters
The producer
Spanish grape varieties meet New World winemaking techniques at Hammeken Cellars. Its named range includes Ecologica Girasol Rosé, Albades Garnacha, Palacio de Caterina Tempranillo, Albades Garnacha Blanca Viura and Nanit Orange, covering rosé, red, white and orange styles.
Nicholas Hammeken has dedicated his career and life to wine. Since 2020, Hammeken Cellars has planted 615,000 trees through a sustainability program. The company combines Spanish grape varieties and traditions with New World winemaking techniques, and the named wines span rosé, red, white and orange styles.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The wines carry two appellation names. VdlT Castilla appears on Ecologica Girasol Rosé, Palacio de Caterina Tempranillo and Nanit Orange. Cariñena appears on Albades Garnacha and Albades Garnacha Blanca Viura. The range is divided by label: rosé, Tempranillo and orange under VdlT Castilla, Garnacha red and Garnacha Blanca Viura white under Cariñena.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Ecologica Girasol Rosé undergoes cold maceration for twelve to fourteen hours before fermentation. The low temperature and short contact draw colour and aroma from the skins for a rosé style. Nanit Orange takes a different route: green grapes are vinified in the manner of red wine, with a period of skin contact, then aged on lees. Skin contact can bring colour and tannin, while lees ageing can add roundness as the wine rests with spent yeast cells.
Wines to know
The range in view
Ecologica Girasol Rosé is the blended rosé, with 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha and 10% Bobal. Albades Garnacha and Palacio de Caterina Tempranillo occupy the red wine part of the range. Albades Garnacha Blanca Viura is the white wine, while Nanit Orange is the orange wine. The bottles move from a grape blend to red and white wines named for their grapes, then to a skin contact wine.
Ecologica Girasol Rosé is dry, generous in fruit, and lifted by lively acidity. Peach and watermelon lead the flavour. Albades Garnacha brings raspberries, plums and licorice. Albades Garnacha de Montaña is red with a violet rim, showing intense red fruit with mountain herbs and spices, a mineral touch and very soft tannins. Albades Garnacha Blanca Viura is fruity, youthful and very fresh, with green apples, pears and lime. Nanit Orange has aromas of citrus and mineral with herbal and tea notes. Its palate has good acidity and medium body with subtle tannins, followed by apricot, mimosa flowers, melon, honey, sea buckthorn, white pepper and mandarin.