{"product_id":"2018-familia-castano-dulce-monastrell-liberty","title":"2018 Familia Castaño, `Dulce` Monastrell - Liberty","description":"\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eBased in Yecla, Murcia, Familia Castaño is known for its huge efforts to promote one of Spain’s native varieties: Monastrell. Familia Castaño embodies the best of what southern Spain has to offer, producing rich, warm-climate wines, with almost Syrah-like complexity, which overdeliver in terms of value year after year. Castaño began bottling characterful, single-variety Monastrell in the 1980s when the variety was used exclusively for bulk wines and blending. Today, in the expert hands of Daniel Castaño and his family, the variety maintains high quality even at moderate to generous yields. 80% of the family’s 600 hectares of vineyards are dedicated to Monastrell, with smaller plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Macabeo and Chardonnay among others. The Monastrell is sourced from dry-farmed, bush and trellised vines, up to 70 years old, in the ‘Las Gruesas’ and ‘Pozuelo’ vineyards. Totalling 336 hectares, the two vineyards sit at an elevation of 750 metres, with a north-south aspect, on sandy limestone soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eThe 100% Monastrell ‘Hécula’ represents exceptional value for money. Certified organic it displays succulent ripe black fruit, notes of sweet spice and liquorice and supple ripe tannins. The ‘Colección’, made from 70% old-vine Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, shows more red cherry and dried fruit, with hints of smokiness and chocolate. The Organic Macabeo, Monastrell Rosado and Monastrell are some of Spain’s best value organic wines and are now available in sustainable five-litre ‘Bag in Box’. Made for early drinking, they are fresh and elegant thanks to the vineyard’s elevation of 500-700 metres. The ‘Dulce’ is delicious, full of dried fig, raisin and plum jam flavours, with a rounded mouthfeel and balanced acidity that keeps the finish fresh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe vineyards are situated at 750 metres above sea level, and planted on a north to south orientation. The soils are a mixture of gravel and sand. Planted at a density of 2000 vines per hectare, the bush vines are dry farmed and 50 years old on average. Resulting in low average yields of two tonnes per hectare.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe 2018 vintage was a complex year with a generally cold, wet spring delaying budbreak and the damp weather during flowering leading to higher than usual incidences of mildew in the vineyard. Early summer was initially rainy, but a hot August allowed the vines to catch up and ripening occurred gradually through the cooler than usual September which helped the grapes achieve great balance and flavour. Generally, the 2018 vintage was a generous harvest producing fresh wines with lower alcohol than recent years.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiPaper-root MuiAccordion-root accordion_accordion__I9cut Mui-expanded MuiAccordion-rounded MuiPaper-elevation1 MuiPaper-rounded\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-root MuiCollapse-entered\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-wrapper\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-wrapperInner\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv role=\"region\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiAccordionDetails-root\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eThis wine was made from late harvest, slightly dried Monastrell grapes. Upon arrival at the winery, the fruit was carefully selected on a sorting table and destemmed with no pressing using a small destemmer. Fermentation began in stainless steel tanks and was then stopped by adding grape spirit once the must reached 5-7% alcohol and before all of the sugars has been converted to alcohol. After fermentation, the wine was aged in French and American oak barrels for eight months before bottling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis wine is deep cherry red in colour. On the nose, there are intense aromas of black candied fruit, raisins, carob and soft oak. The palate is concentrated and dense, with defined notes of plum compote and dried fig, with balancing acidity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Wine Tasting Adventure","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56583371981178,"sku":null,"price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0527\/4297\/9770\/files\/DULCE_New__250x500_66441d86-b0f4-411e-ac00-dc29e81b236d.jpg?v=1770913347","url":"https:\/\/www.wine-ta.co.uk\/products\/2018-familia-castano-dulce-monastrell-liberty","provider":"Wine Tasting Adventure","version":"1.0","type":"link"}