Alceno 2011 "12 Meses" Monastrell 750ml

The 2011 Alceno 12 (the label says TW 12 Alceno TWELVE) is produced by head-pruned dry-farmed, old vine Monastrell vines grown on calcareous soils that yield no more than 1 kilo of grapes per vine. The wine spent 12 months in 300-liter new oak barrels. It has very good fruit, it’s ripe, with blackberries and damsons, dense, Mediterranean herbs, balsamic, and powerful with a long finish. It has the tasty character of the calcareous soils. It seems to have the stuffing to absorb the oak, so give it some time in bottle.

Score: 90 points -- Luis Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate, 2013