Alto Moncayo 2022

Alto Moncayo is a Garnacha red from D.O. Campo de Borja in Aragón, made by the winery of the same name within Jorge Ordóñez's Orowines group, a long-established importer of Spanish wine into the United States. Campo de Borja sits on the foothills of the Moncayo massif, where old Garnacha vines grow on stony, well-drained soils. The continental climate of dry, hot summers and the altitude on the slopes give a wide day-to-night temperature swing, so the fruit ripens fully while keeping freshness and aromatic lift. Old-vine Garnacha at low yields is what drives the depth and concentration here. The wine spends eighteen months in French oak, a long élevage that resolves the substantial tannins through slow oxygen exchange and layers vanilla, toast and cocoa over the dense fruit. At 16 percent the alcohol is high, in keeping with the warm site and ripe style, yet the source notes describe a silky, balanced texture. Expect a near-opaque deep red, a nose of ripe black fruit, plum and blackberry with balsamic and toasted notes, and a full, velvety palate with a long, warming finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanted. Good with grilled beef and roast lamb.