Garage Wine Co. Sauzal Vineyard Lot 95 Dry Farmed Old Vines Carignan/Garnacha/Monastrell 2018

Description

The Sauzal Vineyard is now in the DO Empedrado, and I tasted two of the vintages, starting with the 2018 Sauzal Vineyard, a field blend of Cariñena, Garnacha and Monastrell from grower Nivaldo Morales, which Garage's Derek Mossman described as 'a universe of perfume, earth and spice.' About the blend, the old bush vines that have been worked by horse and following the moon cycles in ancestral ways, he also explained that 'over the last 10 harvests in Sauzal, the wine has changed its varietal composition. First it was all Cariñena, then we grafted Garnacha and Monastrell and then a few years later more Garnacha until in the 2018 vintage the wine is composed of equal parts Garnacha and Cariñena with 6% Monastrell.' It has a lively, medium-bodied palate with grainy tannins (think granite!) and bright acidity. There's no lack of ripeness, aromas or flavors, but the wine is very balanced. Drink date: 2021-2031. Score - 96. (Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, Aug. 31, 2021)

Tags

Carignan Blend, Red Wine, Wine