2015 El Mondongo
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Tasting notes
Mostly old-vine Garnacha blended with Syrah, Moristel and Bobal (also known as Provechón here). The wine comes from five different blended plots surrounded by shrubs of Mediterranean herbs (especially Satureja montana – winter savory). Fermented and aged in cement eggs and tinajas (clay vessels). The nose is unbelievably herbal and spiced, very complex bouquet (thyme, rosemary, medicinal herbs). The fruit is below the herbal layers; it has an elegant and fragrant expression. This is a classy Garnacha style – fresh, delicate and far removed from the orthodox powerful style. The fruit and the tannins are extremely mellowed. It is a burgundian style of Garnacha. Like entering a herbal remedy store! This is at the pinnacle of delicacy for Garnacha. Amazing! (FC)
Critic scores
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Jancis Robinson MW
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The new 2015 El Mondongo is a blend of Garnacha with 15% Syrah and a little Bobal and Garnacha Blanca from the old vineyards. This was sourced from five different plots on limestone-rich soils, fermented with indigenous yeasts in open stainless-steel pools with punching down, malolactic with the skins, and then aged in egg-shaped vats for some 15 months on the lees. There is an herbal, stem-like sensation, but they destemmed all the grapes. The aromatics of the Syrah is quite noticeable, perfumed and elegant, mixing violets with black cherries and a touch that made me think of a Touriga Nacional. They harvested early to compensate for the dry and warm vintage and the result was a lot of freshness in the wine, while achieving perfect ripeness and juicy, chalky tannins. 9,300 bottles were filled in May 2017. It's sold without appellation (and the vintage is not visible on the label) because it's produced outside the boundaries of Calatayud.