Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja 2011
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Parker
Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I tend to drink Alto Moncayo during its first 5-6 years of life. Although I was sure they had aging potential, I did not realize just how much longevity these wines possess. They are generally full-bodied, powerful (with at least 15.5% natural alcohol), concentrated, rich wines made from very old vines and tiny yields. If you are not into flavor concentration or care about artisanal wines from great terroirs that have been ignored for centuries, this may not be the wine for you. Not one of these ten vintages was close to full maturity. The two most recent vintages, 2010 and 2011, were both late, cooler years and both have turned out to be sexy wines. I suspect that in many ways, 2011 will behave like 2006, being precocious and delicious, but not as long-lived as some of its siblings. These wines appear to have 20-30 years of aging potential, although the sweet spot for drinking them appears to be between age 8 and 15.
Other Vintages
2010-
Spectator
Wine
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Parker
Robert
Bodegas Alto Moncayo is a winery located in the Campo de Borja D.O. It was founded in 2002 with the aim of turning it into a world reference for Garnacha wines of the highest quality, crafted from some of the oldest native vine clones in the area.The garnacha grape is one of the varieties that best expresses its terroir. Thus, the Garnacha of Alto Moncayo is different from the rest of the Campo de Borja D.O area. This is due to the very strict selection made from the vineyards, the type of soil in which it is grown, the microclimate, and the age of the vines. Located in Borja- the heart of the Campo de Borja DO . Vines are planted at the foothills of El Moncayo which is the highest point in the Iberian Mountain Range (2,315 m) and the winery's namesake. The region experiences a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Vineyards are planted on very unique soils of red clay (indicative of being rich in iron) mixed with red slate, and because of the hillside location are shallow and nutrient-deficient. The Garnacha grapes of Alto Moncayo undergo very strict vineyard selection, from vines planted as far back as the early 1900's through the 1970's. Only the most perfectly mature clusters are selected and carried in small crates to prevent crushing, where they are further sorted and selected at triage tables. Wines undergo malolactic fermentation in both French & American oak, and aged in new barrels between anywhere from 16-24 months. These practices, in combination with the unique microclimate of the area ensure superior quality Garnacha that is distinct from any other in the Campo de Borja D.O.
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.