Artadi Viñedos de El Seque (75cl, 14.5%)

A 100% old vine Monastrell red wine from Alicante, Spain, bottled at 14.5% ABV in a 750ml bottle. The vines are organically farmed at around 600-650 metres altitude in Pinoso, with some approaching 100 years old. After a 24- to 48-hour cold soak, the fruit ferments for 10-12 days in open-top stainless steel tanks, then matures for 12 months in 500-litre oak barriques through malolactic fermentation. The nose opens with perfumed blackberry and baked plum, layered with lilac, licorice and a mineral undertone of desert rock, with underbrush and dried herb notes. The palate is lush, with concentrated blackberry and dark plum, mixed spices, chocolate and savory leather, supported by bright acidity and a streak of minerality. The finish is long and earthy, with fine-grained, velvety tannins and hints of mint leaf and strawberry licorice.