El Sequé 2021

A Mediterranean red wine with a cool core: dark fruit, herbal spice and the balsamic thread that defines the Monastrell grape. Power and freshness sit in perfect balance.

The vines grow across four zones around Pinoso, on the western edge of the DO Alicante, at 600 to 650 metres above sea level. The climate there is extreme continental: over 40 degrees by day, below 15 degrees at night, with a swing of up to 25 degrees within a single day that preserves aromatics and acidity. The soil is sandy loam over a limestone subsoil, low in clay and organic matter. The estate was founded in 1999 by Juan Carlos López de Lacalle together with local Monastrell expert Agapito Rico.

Mourvèdre, known as Monastrell in Spain, is the indigenous variety of the western Mediterranean; Syrah stands alongside it. Grapes are picked and sorted by hand, followed by a cold maceration of 24 to 48 hours and fermentation in open stainless steel tanks with the cap punched down twice daily. After malolactic fermentation, the wine ages for twelve months in 500-litre French oak barrels, which integrate the wood more delicately than smaller vessels.

Blackberry and black cherry, followed by herbs and a balsamic note. The tannin is silky, the finish long and spicy.

Pairs with the cuisine of its homeland: braised leg of lamb with rosemary, paella with rabbit, braised aubergine or braised beef in dark sauce. Also excellent with aged Manchego. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees.

The oldest vines date from the late 1950s and are ungrafted: phylloxera found no foothold in the sandy soil. In 2017, Wine-Searcher awarded the 2014 vintage 93 points, naming it "World's Best Value Wine".