Pepe Mendoza 2019 El Veneno Monastrell 750ml

Pure Monastrell from old head-pruned and dry-farmed vines in Villena, the 2019 El Veneno comes from a very challenging vintage with torrential rains during the harvest (around 200 liters that made them stop for a week to 10 days). They had to wait to finish the harvest, as the soils swallow water quite well; they also had to sort and discard grapes and, as a result, obtained a more fluid wine that is still ripe and full at 14% alcohol and with good freshness (a pH of 3.4). It fermented with 30% full clusters and matured in well-seasoned 500-liter French oak barrels for 12 months. It's aromatic with notes of thyme, rosemary and pine needles, and it has ripe fruit without excess, with a medium to full body and very chalky tannins on the back of the palate. 9,500 bottles were filled in February 2021.

Score: 94 points -- Luis Gutierrez, Robertparker.com, 2022