Laderas de Sedella Anfora 2018

Sierras de Malaga, Spain

Laderas de Sedella Anfora is a beautiful organic red wine gem from the high-mountain wine region around Malaga, in the south of Spain. Founded in 2006, Sedella is owned and run by Lauren Rosillo, an innovative, young Spanish winemaker who worked on projects in Rioja, Rueda and La Mancha before falling in love with the Axarquia region in Malaga. There he found a 2.5-hectare vineyard located in Sedella, a quaint town of 400 people, with slate-strewn soil that he could not allow to pass him by. Located in Sierras de Malaga, its high elevation (2461 feet), ancient field-blended Romé, Jaén and Garnacha vines (100+ years old) and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea all enhance the personality of Lauren's wines.

Many of Lauren's innovations as a winemaker are in fact agricultural innovations. He uses Roman plows and horses rather than tractors to avoid compressing the soil. At its steepest, the slopes are at a 45% grade, but Lauren maneuvers the horses adeptly on the hillsides. The vineyards are organically farmed and certified. Production here is tiny - about 400 cases total.

Lauren's amphora-aged wine, called "Laderas de Sedella" is fermented in French oak eggs, then cement amphora for one year. Sulfur is used only at bottling, there is no fining or filtration, and he uses only native yeasts. The wines have beautiful clarity and are packed with slate minerality, fine tannins and fresh bright acidity.

Enjoy Laderas de Sedella Anfora over the next 5-6 years with grilled steak, roast lamb, rich vegetables, and aged cheeses.