2014 Alberto Orte Elo 750mL (93 WA)

The 2014 Elo, pure old-vine Monastrell from an old ungrafted vineyard on limestone-rich soils planted in 1973, fermented in open stainless steel pools for 28 days, during which time they were trodden twice per day. The wine aged in 500-liter French oak barrels for 12 days, followed by another year in a 2,000-liter cement vat. This is a wine that has surprised me over the last few vintages, and the 2014 is no exception. The nose is elegant and floral, and the wine shows the character of the grape, with some rustic tannins, and the place, especially the chalky texture of the tannins, quite faithfully. It's powerful and Mediterranean without overwhelming your senses. It has nice balance to be drunk now and develop nicely in bottle. 2,700 bottles were filled in September 2016. LG-12/2017