SOLD OUT! The 2018 Castillo de Monjardin Garnacha is one of Spain’s greatest red wine values. Heck, it’s one of the greatest red wine values in the world. Rated 89 points by Wine Spectator and coming to you at less than $15/bottle, this is a red that will please the pickiest of palates.
This Garnacha is sourced exclusively from 70-year-old vines on the estate’s “La Cantera” vineyard, which sits at an altitude of 1,500 feet. Tucked in the foothills of the Pyrenees along the French border in Navarra, this is Spanish Garnacha done right.
2018 Castillo de Monjardin Garnacha
89 points Wine Spectator
SOLD OUT
Nothing about this wine adds up — IT SHOULD COST SO MUCH MORE! Single vineyard, high altitude, 70 year old vines, just 1.4 tons per acre, and just 2,500 cases produced. What gives? I don’t know and I’m not going to ask any questions for fear they’ll raise the price on this one. Believe me when I say this is one of the top, under-$15 Spanish Garnachas I’ve ever tried. And I’ve tried a lot of them.
Over the course of the last 25 years, Monjardin’s wines have been awarded with over 100 medals and prizes. This is a state of the art winery with a modern cellar but Old World intuition and ethos rule in the vineyards. And that’s what I love about this wine. It’s got one foot in the New World with gobs of ripe fruit but it’s got the other foot in the Old World with savory spice and herbal notes.
100% Old Vine Garnacha, this one is fermented in stainless steel and aged in second-use French barrels for 6 months. Wine Spectator summed it up nicely, saying this “plump red offers cherry and red plum flavors, with leafy, smoky and vanilla notes. Light, firm tannins provide support, while citrusy acidity keeps this lively.” I agree with that, but I think they should have mentioned this wine’s incredibly smooth and silky texture. It’s a red that I’d describe as full-bodied but fine-grained and seamless.
Everybody is looking for an affordable house red these days. Good news, I’ve found it. But I bought the last 10 cases of the 2018 and when that’s gone, we’ll be waiting for the next vintage. Will it be as good? Who knows…….
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville