*tasting note at the bottom
**Part of the ‘Spanish Value Experiment
When I first became interested in Spanish wine, Monastrell was one of the first grapes I really started to get to grips with. Dark, soft and juicy, brimming with energy and texture; what’s not to love? The problem I encountered as I drank more and my palate became more focused, was that many of the examples I had previously enjoyed were made with over-ripened fruit, leading to jammy, stewed fruit flavours, blowsy levels of alcohol and a tendency to have noticeable levels of residual sugar still in the wine after fermentation. This, perhaps unsurprisingly, came on the back of huge export successes, mainly in DO Jumilla and particularly by the Juan Gil group who predominantly sell their wines in America, Germany and Scandanavian countries. Every time I tried them, I found myself enjoying the wines less and less before stumbling across a couple of wines from neighbouring DO Yecla, which tend to be more rustic and less polished, and fell right back in love with it all over again. Step up, Gordo 2014.
Gordo 2014 is the most recent vintage of a wine made by the very interesting Compañía de Vinos del Atlántico (CVA), a partnership making small productions of high quality wines across Spain. Monastrell is the traditional grape of Yecla yet since the early 2000’s, experimental plantings of international grape varieties have also started to creep in; 30% Cabernet Sauvignon bolsters the Monastrell in this case. The key to a lot of the better Monastrell based wines is that the grapes are grown are quite some altitude, creating a more pronounced diurnal range and lowering the temperature significantly (a 0.6℃ drop for every 100m above sea level). The grapes that go into producing Gordo 2014 are grown at over 700m above sea level, with no irrigation permitted and organic viticulture practiced. Whilst 14% ABV may make some classic wine connossieurs balk, it’s a reassurance in southern Spain where wines over 15% aren’t uncommon! As always, the key is in the balance.
Tasting Note
70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, grown at over 700m altitude under organic viticultural practices. Partial whole-bunch fermentation with each variety vinified separately and aged for 3 months in 2 year-old oak prior to blending. 14% ABV
Deep ruby in colour, but nowhere near as inky as some examples of Spanish Monastrell. Ripe, juicy dark fruits dominate the nose, surprisingly high-toned and complemented by a herbal freshness (whole bunch fermentation), black pepper, licorice and a hint of game. Very fresh on the palate, with vibrant acidity, ripe, grainy tannins and a slightly drying finish. There’s a very endearing rustic edge to Gordo 2014, and I found the wine benefited from an hour or so in a decanter. Lovely stuff; we’re back on track! 90Pts.
Purchased from Vinissimus for €9.50