Comando G. Daniel Landi, Fernando Garcia, Sierra de Gredos, Madrid
Citing the world’s greatest Grenache – Château Rayas – as their inspiration, Dani Gomez Jiménez-Landi and Fernando García of Comando G are producing some of Spain’s most sought-after and finessed wines.
Growing up locally, Dani and Fernando forged a friendship while studying viticulture at the University of Madrid. They launched Comando G in 2008 as a result of their mutual passion for indigenous old vines and to demonstrate the region’s potential beyond its reputation for bulk-wine in the 1970s.
Reviving abandoned, high-altitude vineyards in the Gredos Mountains west of Madrid, the pair work 10ha of Garnacha and Albillo by hand and with the aid of horses. Skilful biodynamic farming combined with warm, sunny days and cool nights results in perfectly ripe, healthy fruit balanced by fresh acidity.
Fermented with native yeasts in open-top casks and matured in a combination of oak barrels, foudres, and clay amphorae, Comando G produce eight red cuvées structured around Burgundy’s cru system.
Offering a beautiful balance between generosity and restraint, the portfolio starts with the exceptional value ‘La Bruja’ at ‘village’ level, moving up to 1er Crus ‘Las Rozas’ and ‘La Brena’, and six ‘Grand Cru’ single vineyards: ‘El Reventon’, ‘Las Iruelas’, ‘Tumba del Rey Moro’, ‘Las Umbrías’, ‘El Tamboril’, and ‘Rumbo al Norte’. Aged under flor, ‘Camino del Pilar’ is a spellbinding sherry-like Albillo tasting of nuts and pears.
Given the tiny production quantities and widespread demand among winos seduced by their Pinot Noir-like elegance, Comando G’s bottles have become increasingly hard to find. We are delighted to present our yearly allocation from the domaine.
I hate a score of 99 , and I thought I'd never use it, but I'm using it in this 2020 Rumbo al Norte, as it's impossible to split hairs and reflect the nuance of this wine, which is above the 2019 vintage but does not quite reach the level of the 2018 or 2016, so the only thing left in between is a 99 . The grapes were pristine and perfect, and they got a little more of them, so they aged the wine in a 1,200-liter oak foudre. The wine is super pale, floral with notes of decayed rose petals, musk and herbs (tomato vine), with lots of cleanliness despite the initial faint reduction. It has energy and fine tannins that are gentler than those from Navatalgordo. This is a wine of peace, harmony and complexity, a wine that feels very complete. 1,406 bottles and 50 magnums produced. It was bottled in March 2022. 2023-2035
Biodynamic
