Montgó Monastrell-Shiraz

The Great Spanish Success: From the first release of the 2002 vintage, this wine has had endless success and worldwide recognition. A flawless balance between dark fruit and toasted oak where the winemaker has succeeded in created a wine that is redefining Spanish wines internationally.

Grape Varietals:
70% Monastrell 20% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Harvest:
The grapes were handpicked at the optimum stage of ripeness from late September to end October. The 40+ year old Monastrell vineyards are in Campo Arriba and are bush trained; the 15+ year old Shiraz vineyards are also in Campo Arriba and are trained to a trellis; the 15+ year old Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards are on hillsides in Campo Abajo.

Winemaking:
Each variety vinified separately. Temperature controlled fermentation at 25-30ºC. Maceration time 15-40 days. The wine was aged for 6 months in small 1-3 years old French and American oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:
The dark crimson color with edges of violet invites you to the glass where a swirl produces intense notes of mature blackberries and black cherries, exotic spices and nuances of tobacco, licorice and smoke. On the palate, rich, concentrated flavors of red bitter cherry fruit, a hint of spice, and some exotic wood tones are layered with an earthy minerality, fresh and lively acidity and a teasing bite of tannin. This is a full bodied wine with great length, and will continue to age well with cellaring.

Serving Suggestion:
Definitely a food wine - the fruit flavors and tannins in Montgó Monastrell-Shiraz go excellently with a steak.

Awards:
Mundos Vini 2009, Silver Medal
84/1oo points Guìa Peñìn
2005 vintage: 88/100 points Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate February 2008
Vinalies Internationales Paris 2007 Vinalies d’Or
2004 vintage: "Opaque purple in color, it possesses an expressive nose of earth, fungi, blackberry, and blueberry liqueur. It has considerably more depth and concentration..." 90/100 points
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate February 2007
"If you've been bowled over by the high quality and low prices of Australian reds, check out this massively powerful red from Spain. It's a blend of the Spanish grape, monastrell, with better known shiraz and cabernet sauvignon. Its broad shoulders are balanced with fresh fruit flavours and a long, elegant finish." Joelle Thomson, New Zealand Herald

Click here for a printable version of the wine notes (PDF).