El Nido 2022

El Nido is a red from Bodegas El Nido in D.O. Jumilla, part of the Gil Family Estates group. It blends Cabernet Sauvignon, around 70 percent, with the local Monastrell, around 30 percent, drawn from very old, low-yielding vineyards planted around the winery in inland Murcia. Jumilla is hot, dry and high, with a continental climate of intense summer heat, cold nights and very low rainfall, conditions that suit thick-skinned Monastrell and ripen Cabernet fully while the diurnal swing preserves acidity. The old vines give tiny yields of small, concentrated berries, the source of the wine's depth. Fermentation and extended maceration draw deep colour and substantial tannin, and the wine is aged in oak, where slow oxygen exchange polishes the tannins and adds vanilla, toast and a smoky spice. The colour is dense, near-black ruby. The nose is concentrated, with ripe plum and black cherry over dark chocolate, liquorice and toasted oak. The palate is full-bodied and powerful at 15.5 percent, with firm, ripe tannins and a long, warming finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant well. It is built for rich red meat.