Winemaker Notes
Deep purple with a violet-bluish hue at the rim. Intense nose but with a surprising amount of complexity and detail. Blackberries and boysenberries, remembrances of tree bark, violets and dry earth. An immeasurably rich spicy background, with some smoky and bitter cocoa notes, and a tip of Havanna cigars. The mouthfeel is smooth, fresh and imposingly deep. Fresh and compact, with exceptional acidity and luscious palate. Though a ripe and big-boned wine, the oak is exceptionally integrated, with fantastic balance and impressive focus. Long finish, with some toasted and spicy undertones.
Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Monastrell
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Despite having very similar parameters, like 16% alcohol, the 2021 El Nido came through as fresher and more balanced than the 2020 I tasted next to it. It has a ripe and heady nose with notes of violets and very ripe fruit, spice, toast and a touch of creaminess. It's full-bodied, with density and pungent flavors that are very persistent. The quality of the tannins also feels different, more elegant here.
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Wine Spectator
A dark, brooding red, with plum sauce, black cherry reduction, licorice strap, rooibos tea leaf and toast flavors gliding on the plushly textured palate. Rich and full-bodied, with muscular tannins and juicy acidity, this is harmonious and well-meshed, revealing layers of medicinal herbs, spices and mineral notes on the long finish.
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Vinous
The 2021 El Nido is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Monastrell from Jumilla. Aged for 22 months in American and French oak barrels, this garnet-red wine offers forward aromas, with prominent oak followed by notes of tomato leaf and ripe black fruit. Big and rich, the palate is bold and substantial, finishing with ripe fruit flavors. Despite all that ripeness, there are some slightly green notes here.
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.