The 2007 Alto Moncayo Veraton is the producer’s entry-level wine and comes entirely from old-vine Grancha (Grenache), ranging in age from 35 years to some nearly a century old. After fermentations completed the wines aged in American and French oak for about a year and a half and then bottled without filtration. The wine comes from the Campo de Borja part of Spain, which is about 50 miles from the French border and a little more then half way closer to the Mediterranean then the Atlantic. The area received its DOC (appellation) in 1980, while the winery that made this wine Alto Moncayo is relatively new and is a joint venture between the wine importer Jorge Ordoñez and the meat packer Dan Philips – while production is in the hands of a noted and long respected winemaker Chris Ringland.

Opaque violet. Sexy aromas of red and dark berries, sandalwood, spicecake and fresh rose. Spicy, concentrated raspberry and blackberry flavors are given spine by zesty minerals and pick up a smoky quality with air. Impressively lively for such a rich wine, with strong finishing spiciness and lingering notes of licorice and red berries. This is an absolutely beautiful expression of Grenache wine.

Scored 92 points from Stephen Tanzer.

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