Comando G was born out of the friendship and shared oenological studies of Daniel Jiménez-Landi and Fernando García, who met while studying at the University of Madrid in 2005. After finishing their studies, they returned to the Sierra de Gredos, Daniel to Bodegas Jiménez-Landi and Fernando to Bodega Marañones.
Drawn to the mountains and intrigued by rumors of forgotten, high-altitude vineyards scattered across Gredos, they began seeking out and acquiring, or leasing, the best sites they could find. In 2008, Comando G officially came into existence.
Today they farm roughly 10 hectares of vines rooted in granite-dominant soils at high elevations. In many ways, they’ve helped redefine modern Spanish wine, inspiring an entire new generation of vignerons to explore Gredos and its potential. We’ve been working with Comando G in Panama for the past 10 years and have seen firsthand how Daniel and Fernando have elevated Garnacha.
To celebrate a decade of importing their wines, I organized a small dinner with a group of longtime clients, people who were drinking Comando G well before the wines became “famous.” The idea was simple: taste a mix of current and slightly older releases and place them in context.
Menu
The food was entrusted to a close chef friend who was born and raised on the outskirts of Madrid, not far from Gredos. I asked him to cook dishes typical of the region that would naturally complement the wines…and he absolutely delivered.
Iberian salchichón tartare à la Tasquita
Perris-style patatas revolconas
Chistorras and cured cheese croquettes
Tavern-style meatballs in pepitoria sauce
Ossobuco cannelloni with mushroom béchamel
Anise cake with cream and red wine caramel
Served with Niepoort LBV 2020
The Wines
Rozas 1er Cru 2016
This is perfectly aged and firing on all cylinders. The delicate red fruit has emerged behind the once marked salty stone note. It’s fresh and ethereal, I’m sure glad I kept a case of this aside. It seems it’ll hold for a decade at least.
Las Iruelas 2021
From 70–75 year old vines planted at 1,000 meters above sea level. A bit hefty, but with an intriguing aromatic profil of piparras (chili peppers), warm red fruit typical of Comando G, and salty stone flavors.
El Reventón 2022
A 1 hectare parcel of 80+ year old Garnacha at 950 meters on slate soils. This is the final vintage made by Comando G, as the vineyard was sold to Alejandro Vigil and Adrianna Catena (Catena / El Enemigo). Stylistically the outlier of the lineup. Bigger, riper, and more black fruit driven, lacking the stony backbone found elsewhere. At 15% alcohol, it clearly stood apart.
Las Umbrías 2018
Consistently an over performer for me, and something of a baby Rumbo al Norte. From 65+ year old vines at 1,000 meters. Possibly one of the best Umbrías to date. Delicate and finessed, with floral tones, light red fruit, and pronounced notes of tangerine, pepper, and stone dust. Second best wine of the night.
Tamboril Tinto 2019
A tiny 0.5 hectare vineyard of 70+ year old vines at 1,200 meters. Produced in minuscule quantities, so we don’t get it every year. There’s also a Garnacha Blanca from this site, I’ve received exactly three bottles in ten years. Powerful and structured without excess, with pure fruit, electric acidity, and a stony component that makes you salivate.
Dani standing at the edge of Tumba del Rey Moro vineyard… yes I climbed all the way up there!
Tumba del Rey Moro 2018
If Rumbo al Norte is the tête de cuvée, this would be the clear second. A 0.7 hectare plot at 1,100 meters on pure granite soils. The name means “The Moorish King’s Tomb,” referencing a nearby site. Dani and Fer have painstakingly rescued this vineyard from scrub brush, restoring its natural terraces over time. When I last visited, the steep walk up nearly knocked the wind out of me (after a 10 hour red eye and a 1.5 hour drive to Villanueva). Incredibly austere, it’s liquid rock, with a talc-like texture. Still very young and it’s a 2018!
A surreal moment walking around in the Rumbo al Norte vineyard… It felt like giants threw these boulders here!
Rumbo al Norte 2020
The most iconic wine in the lineup. A minuscule 0.3 hectare vineyard at 1,050 meters, strewn with massive boulders. Walking the site feels almost surreal, and you can literally smell the herbs that later emerge in the wine. Very pale in color, with musky pungency, rose petals, white pepper, intense salty rock notes, and remarkable length. It just keeps going, definately WOTN.
