Casa Balaguer El Telar

El Telar is the flagship red of Casa Balaguer, an organic Monastrell from a single vineyard. The vines are more than 70 years old and give less than 1kg of grapes per plant. The name, meaning the loom, honours the family's roots in textiles. The grapes are picked by hand into small boxes and sorted at the winery, then macerated and fermented cool on their skins and seeds for 21 days. The wine spends 18 months in new 500-litre French oak and at least 12 months in bottle. It is an inky, dark cherry red, with dark berries, mineral and spice on the nose. The palate is soft and well balanced, with good body and sweet tannins, and a lasting finish.