Les Alcusses 2018

The history of Celler del Roure and his way of interpreting the Monastrell, the most important variety in southeastern Spain. One of the most interesting wines of the Spanish east is Les Alcusses, which combines international grapes planted in loamy limestone soils and native grapes in sandy loam soils. Low yields, production around 25hl per ha, manual harvest in boxes of 15kg and aging of 5 months in used barrels.

The first wine they produced in 2000 has been changing through the years, and nowadays the 2016 Les Alcusses is a blend of 40% Monastrell and 10% Tintorera, with French grapes for the rest and in percentages that are lower each year; in 2019, they are 15% each Petit Verdot and Syrah and 10% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from ripe grapes that reached 14% alcohol. The blend matured in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels for eight months. This is the only wine that keeps a more traditional profile—spicy, a bit volatile and with more advanced aromas—because it has its audience. In fact, it feels like a different wine from the rest of the portfolio, a bit more Italian perhaps, riper and with a lot more tannin and in need of powerful food. 98,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019. RP91.