2018 El Nido
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Tasting notes
The 2018 El Nido was produced with a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Monastrell fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and matured in a combination of French and American oak barrels for 23 months. This regularly hits the scale at 16% alcohol and is produced in a ripe, powerful and heady Mediterranean style with generous oak. As with the smaller sibling, the 2018 is a little riper, rounder and lusher than the 2019, with higher alcohol and more abundant grainy tannins. They have lowered the toast of the barrels a little (less than in the Juan Gil wines), and it keeps its style and profile of a very ripe, concentrated, powerful and very generous Mediterranean red that transcends the varietals. For fans of the style. 5,500 bottles were filled in September 2020.
Critic scores
Average Score
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
Saturated violet. An expansive, spice-accented bouquet evokes cassis, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and potpourri; vanilla and woodsmoke nuances emerge with air. Juicy and deeply concentrated, offering palate-staining, appealingly sweet black and blue fruit preserve, violet pastille, licorice and mocha flavors that become livelier as the wine opens up. The floral and mineral notes reverberate emphatically on an extremely long, spicy finish that features mounting tannins and a hint of bitter chocolate.