Tandem 'Casual' Garnacha Graciano Rosé 2016

Hear the word 'tandem' and you'll think: two lovers (or maybe just good friends), pedalling together on a bicycle made for two. But in Spanish 'tandem' means "at last!" And while the winemaking team would love you to believe 'tandem' refers to the realisation (at last) of their dream to make such a chilled-out wine, it actually refers to the phrase often exclaimed at the end of the day when the bottle is finally lifted from the fridge.

Casual, ha! These rose-flower aromas, clipped flavours of forest berries, and hints of sun-kissed red cherry don't happen by accident. It's exhausting, making something this perfectly laid back! Of course, enjoying it is far easier...

Compañía Vitivinícola Tandem was founded in 2003 by Alicia Eyaralar, José María Fraile and a small group of relatives and friends that share a love for wine. Tandem means "at last", representing the shared aspirations of its two partners in fulfilling their dream and the mission they have taken on. Their aim is to make Tandem a reference point for high quality wines in the Navarra DO by producing wines that have elegance and personality that express the character of the land that the grapes were grown on.

The winery employs a minimal intervention approach to winemaking; an approach designed based on Alicia's extensive experience in the industry. Having studied winemaking at the Universidad Politecnica de Barcelona, Alicia worked at Bodegea Valdeobispo before arriving in Navarra in 1991 and meeting her future partner, José, at Palacio de la Vega. She left Palacia de la Vega in 1997 to consult for wineries in both Navarra and Rioja before finally founding Compañía Vitivinícola Tandem in 2003.

The grapes for the Tandem 'Casual' Garnacha Graciano Rosé begin fermentation with skins on for 5 hours in stainless steel. Following this, the yolk must is racked for fermentation in steel vats for 20 days at 16°c. Following this process, the wine is kept on its lees for three months and stirred in the tank to help the wine gain volume and texture on the palate.

Their mission is to make great wines through hard work and dedication and to make Tandem a reference point for quality in the Navarra DO. They work with all sincerity and spare no effort to be constant in each vintagem thinking only to improve and to project confidence.

This rosé offers an elegantly perfumed nose of roses, forest berries, strawberries and cherry. The palate is fresh and round and its mineral qualities make it the perfect match for tapas, light pasta dishes and fish based dishes.