Spanish Wine Club
February Spanish Wine Club
2005 Alto Moncayo Veraton
92 points Steven Tanzer, 90 points Wine Spectator
Alto Moncayo produces three levels of wines (all offered this month - two as optional selections). Veraton is the entry level bottling. The Alto Moncayo project is the brainchild of Jorgé Ordoñez who has contracted with famed Aussie winemaker Chris Ringland to handle vinification.
Brilliant ruby in the glass, with aromas of dark, ripe cherry and mulberry, anise, mocha, cinnamon and pepper with a wiff of old leather. Smooth, supple, and well balanced in the mouth, there is a core of great strawberry and cherry fruit with some mineral, black pepper, herbs and gamey, animal nuances. Tannins are there, but well integrated and smooth. The finish is very long, surprisingly long.2006 Fillaboa Albariño
This was the first Albariño I ever tasted, and it remains the benchmark for me. Albariño is one of the white grapes from the Rias Baixas region of Galicia** Lemon, a hint of banana, and rich, yet bracing acidity. Awarded 91 points from the Wine Enthusiast who raved: "this is what Albarino is all about! Get after this one as soon as you can."
Alternate Selections Given that all of the Alto Moncayo wines are highly allocated and very hard to find, we're giving you first crack at purchasing any and all of their bottlings. The difference between the three bottlings is vineyard age and the amount of new oak. You may substitute any of the bottlings below for your allocation noted above.2005 Alto Moncayo Alto Moncayo
The estates mid-level effort is the fairly priced Alto Moncayo. This wine is spectacular, and represents the perfect foil for grilled steak. Even richer, fuller, and more muscular than last year, with riveting intensity and palate staining extract, Alto Moncayo is inky/purple, full-bodied, and rich. This pedal-to-the-metal offering should age handsomely for a decade. The oak (all new) is almost shockingly understated, perhaps thanks to the reported four-year aging of the barrel staves.
2005 Alto Moncayo Aquilon
Aquilon, a 4000 bottle luxury cuvée, was fashioned from the winerys oldest vines and best material. Revealing nearly off the chart ripeness, richness, and intensity, it will be interesting to see how this tour de force in winemaking ages. It is the vino equivalent of a Hummer. The nose offers surreal, room-filling perfume of ripe raspberry, blackberry, incense, vanilla and dried flowers. Shockingly understated on the palate, with vibrant red berry, smoked meat and baking spice flavors, silky tannins and crisp mineral bite. There's no excess fat or sweetness here. Finishes with palate-staining intensity and superb focus. I'd love to see this lined up with some mega-bucks Napa cult wines costing twice the price of this bottle.
** Campo de Borja is located south of the Navarra DO, and southeast of Rioja. Rias Baixas is located directly across the Miño river, which comprises the northwestern Spanish-Portuguese border