From the atlas
Finca Daniel Ramos
Daniel Ramos's Cebreros wines bring high altitude Garnacha, old bush trained vines and low intervention cellar work together in the Sierra de Gredos.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | Sierra de Gredos |
| Base | El Tiemblo, Ávila |
| Vineyard area | Cebreros |
| Main grapes | Garnacha and Albillo Real |
| Signature wine | El Altar |
| Defining feature | Old bush trained vines and native yeast cellar work |
The Producer
Daniel Ramos works from El Tiemblo, Ávila, with vineyards in Cebreros, Sierra de Gredos. Garnacha is central to the project, joined by Albillo Real and other varieties. The wider holding covers about 15 hectares in several parcels, giving the producer fruit from more than one vineyard position.
The range includes El Berrakin, a youthful Garnacha, and El Altar, a single vineyard bottling from north facing high altitude vines. Ramos farms organically and keeps the cellar work low intervention, using native yeast, slow maceration, no fining or filtering, and minimal sulfur at bottling.
Place
Cebreros vineyards lie on steep slopes roughly 800 to 1,000 metres above sea level, with differing sun exposures across the parcels. El Tiemblo, Ávila is the producer's base, while Cebreros names the vineyard setting behind the wines.
Elevation changes the pace of ripening, and exposure changes the amount of sun each parcel receives. Garnacha grown in these conditions can retain fresh acidity while developing ripe fruit character, with each slope contributing a different balance of ripeness and freshness.
Soil And Site
The Garnacha vines grow in decomposed granitic sand and slate schist, soils with little organic material. The vines range from 50 to 100 years old. Granitic sand and schist create lean growing conditions, while the steep slopes and altitude keep the vineyard landscape open and varied.
Ramos farms organically on these soils and times treatments and plowing with the lunar cycle. The work follows the physical conditions of the parcels instead of treating the vineyards as one uniform block.
Story
Daniel Ramos and Pepi San Juan established themselves in El Tiemblo, Ávila, while their project remained tied to Cebreros vineyards in the Sierra de Gredos. Ramos's farming decision is practical and specific: organic work in the vineyards, with treatments and plowing timed to lunar cycles.
The cellar follows the same direction. Native yeast carries fermentation, slow maceration keeps the extraction measured, and the wines leave the cellar without fining or filtering. Only a minimal quantity of sulfur is added at bottling.
Vineyards And Cellar
Six hectares are planted with old vines trained as bushes, including Garnacha, Albillo Real and other varieties. The Garnacha holdings occupy several parcels, with slopes and exposures that differ across the Sierra de Gredos setting.
The cellar uses several traditional vessels. Kpi wines are made in clay amphorae, American oak or concrete tanks. El Berrakin is produced entirely in stainless steel, keeping its cellar treatment separate from the oak aged approach used for El Altar.
Wines
El Berrakin is the youthful red in the range, made from Garnacha and produced entirely in stainless steel. It is designed for early drinking and can be served slightly chilled during summer.
El Altar is the single vineyard bottling, made from north facing high altitude old vine Garnacha. The 2018 wine contains 98% Garnacha and 2% Chelva. Together, the two wines show the range from stainless steel Garnacha for youthful drinking to a parcel specific wine with French oak élevage.
In The Glass
El Berrakin opens with pure berry fruit, floral notes and herbs. Light extraction keeps the palate bright, while fresh acidity and soft tannin give the wine a youthful, lightly chillable profile.
El Altar 2018 is darker and more layered. Cherry, raspberry, blackberry and pomegranate sit beneath violet and hibiscus aromatics, with smoky minerals and velvety tannins shaping the finish.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose El Altar 2018. It is the single vineyard bottling from Daniel Ramos's north facing, high altitude old vines, made from 98% Garnacha and 2% Chelva. The fruit is completely destemmed, ferments for 20 days, receives 25 days of skin maceration, and ages for 12 months in 600 litre French oak barrels.
The bottle combines a named vineyard, a two grape composition and a defined oak ageing period in one wine.
Anecdote
In 2005, Daniel Ramos and Pepi San Juan chose the vineyards of Cebreros in the Sierra de Gredos for their project. The choice came from both partners and placed a named mountain vineyard area at the centre of their work. Ramos and Pepi established themselves in El Tiemblo, Ávila, while Cebreros remained the vineyard setting attached to the project.
Final Word
Daniel Ramos works with Garnacha and Albillo Real from old bush trained vineyards in Cebreros, then bottles both stainless steel El Berrakin and French oak aged El Altar.
Sources
- https://danielramos.wine/
- https://www.chambersstwines.com/Articles/12230/daniel-ramos-expressive-wines-of-the-gredos
- https://www.bonvivantimports.com/daniel-ramos.html
- https://www.raymondreynolds.co.uk/daniel-ramos/el-berrakin
- https://www.butlers-winecellar.co.uk/blogs/news/tasting-daniel-ramos
- https://www.fogwineshop.com/shop/p/daniel-ramos-el-altar-garnacha-2018
- https://www.gourmets.net/salon-gourmets/2025/exhibitors-catalogue/daniel-ramos/zerberos-el-altar-red-wine-garnacha-granitc-sand-north-face