Finca La Montesa Reserva Especial 2020
Rioja, J. Palacios Remondo, 750 ml
A beloved classic
- A wine with a classic soul and a modern touch.
- Cherry and plum fruit, sandalwood, warm spices. Juicy and smooth on the palate with fine-grained tannins.
- Ideal with tapas, braised vegetables, spicy meat dishes or mature cheese.
Description
Is there anything better than a Rioja that has already matured slightly? This wine comes from cult winemaker Álvaro Palacios – a wine with a classic soul and a modern twist. Inviting notes of cherry and plum, subtle hints of sandalwood, vanilla and warm spices. Soft and smooth on the palate with plenty of juice and mellow tannins. Ideal with tapas, roasted vegetables, leg of lamb, and mature cheeses such as Manchego or Sbrinz.
Attributes
| Grape variety: | Garnacha, Rote Autochthone |
| Producer: | J. Palacios Remondo |
| Origin: | Spain / Rioja |
| Label: | Certified organic or biodynamic wine |
| Ripening potential: | 3 to 15 years |
| Drinking temperature: | 16 to 18 °C |
| Food Pairing: | Spicy hard cheese, Roasted lamb gigot, Wild specialities |
| Vinification: | cooling period, fermentation in wooden barrel |
| Harvest: | hand-picking, strict selection, in small boxes |
| Maturation: | some months bottle storage before sale, in partly new and used barriques/ Pièces |
| Bottling: | no filtration |
| Maturation duration: | 12 months |
| Volume: | 14.0 % |
| Note: | Contains sulphites |
J. Palacios Remondo
He was born «at home», above his father’s bodega – Álvaro Palacios, Spain’s star winemaker. The scent of wine and barrels was surely in the air and shaped the rest of his life. He studied oenology in Bordeaux and gained professional experience at Château Pétrus, in London, Dublin and California. Today, he owns vineyards in Priorat, Bierzo and back home in La Rioja, and year after year he demonstrates his extraordinary talent with top-quality wines.
He loves his family, motorbikes, nature, Camarón’s songs, a challenge and taking risks. You immediately take him at his word when he admits that his second calling was to be a ‘torero’ – a bullfighter. He exudes dynamism and strength. At the age of 21, he went to Bordeaux to study oenology. The next stage was a two-year position at Château Pétrus.
Sometimes you have to leave before you can truly come home. Álvaro’s father, José Palacios, had built the winery in Alfaro in the mid-1940s and made it a success. The family’s winemaking tradition dates back to the 17th century. For Álvaro, there was never any question that he would carry on the tradition – even though he initially did so as a winemaker in Priorat. When his father died in 2000, the family asked him to take charge of the winery in La Rioja as well. And so he suddenly found himself back in his old home, albeit with a whole new vision.
Garnacha
Grenache seldom comes alone
Spaniards and Sardinians make the Grenache contentious: both claim it originated from their country. In fact, it had already appeared in both places by the 16th century. But a large number of mutations in Spain indicates that it has deeper roots on the Iberian Peninsula. The Grenache is meaty, rich in tannins and spicy, with a wonderful, fruity sweetness and rich aromas of blackberry, cassis, plums and pepper. Under the name Garnacha, it contributes fullness to the Rioja. In Sardinia it is called Cannonau, where it yields strong, expressive wines. But its stronghold is in France. Grenache is the star in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and streams into many other assemblages from the south. Its preferred partners are Syrah and Mourvèdre. This blend is also very popular abroad. In Australia, these wines are simply called "GSM".
Rioja
Rioja: A legend in upheaval
It is the flagship of the Spanish wine industry: the Rioja region, with its elegant, yet storable wines, most of which are dominated by the Tempranillo, has decisively influenced the image of Spanish wine. Above all, the Reservas and Gran Reservas, aged for years in barrels, enjoy a magical reputation. For about 20 years, the Rioja houses have created a sensation with modern-designed, fruity wines, which are marked more by their terroir than their aging processes.
Spain
Spain – Variety and perfection
“Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember...,” begins Don Quixote's odyssey.
The most famous part is definitely when Don Quixote thinks windmills are his enemy and wants to fight them – until they nearly kill him. It’s possible there was a bit too much of the La Mancha wine at play. Spanish vines fight for their survival in rugged landscapes, battling fierce drought and rough soils. But they fight well.
