2004 Alto Moncayo
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Tasting notes
This was a great opportunity to look at one of the flagship wines of importer Jorge Ordonez’s portfolio. Alto Moncayo is a 100% old vine Grenache cuvee (900-1,000 cases produced depending on the vintage) that is a joint project between Jorge Ordonez and Barossa winemaker, Chris Ringland. Five generations of vignerons have farmed over 210 acres of primarily old vine Grenache at Alto Moncayo, a wine that is produced from incredibly low yields of 500 grams of grape bunches per vine. There are never more than six to eight bunches on these ancient head-pruned Grenache vines. The wine is fermented in open-top wood fermenters, and spends 19 months in 100% new oak prior to being bottled unfiltered. The fruit is all destemmed. I tasted these ten vintages of Alto Moncayo in September, and I was blown away by how well they were showing. Importer: Jorge Ordonez Selections,Dedham, MA; tel. (781) 461-5767: email:corporate@jorgeordonez.com
Critic scores
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Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Dark crimson, with an interesting high-toned nutty note on the nose – considerably more complex than the Veraton with firmer tannins and less obvious sweetness. Pretty austere at the moment though it seems to have a lot tucked in there. This tastes French-oaked whereas the Veraton seems unequivocally American oaked. (JR)
Inky violet. Powerful oak tones atop ripe dark berry and cherry liqueur aromas. Fat, viscous and deep, with wonderfully sweet blackberry fruit and sexy accents of licorice, vanilla and oak spice. This handles the aggressive oak treatment far more successfully than the 2003 version did. Finishes long, on a lush note of candied dark berries.