2016 Alto Moncayo Garnacha "Aquilon", Campo de Borja, Spain

ABOUT THIS WINE

‘Aquilon’ is the jewel in the crown, a selection of the best: the best areas and the best barrels from those areas. It is a 100% Garnacha wine from 60 to 100 year-old vines, and aged for 24 months in new barrels. A powerful fulsome wine in the mouth, fleshy and fresh, with a great concentration of flavor and excellent balance; it is like “tasting the very essence of the Garnacha grape”.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

The winery was founded in 2002 using some of the oldest vines in the area. Currently, it produces wine from 92 hectares of native mountain strains of Garnacha, planted decades ago on the slopes of the Moncayo foothills in unique red clay soil mixed with slate. There is little organic matter in the soil, and it is not very deep. The vines are grown in bushes of native clones oriented towards the southwest. The winery is located in Borja, the heart of the Campo de Borja DO area. It sells its wines under three brands: 'Aquilon', 'Alto Moncayo', and 'Veraton'.

From its privileged location in the highest part of the town of Borja (500m above sea level) can be seen the Santuario de la Misericordia (Shrine of Mercy) and La Muela de Borja to the northwest, with the Ebro Valley and the Pyrenees to the north, the Sierra de Tabuenca and Huecha valley to the south-east, while to the south-west in the foreground can be seen El Moncayo, which is the highest point in the Iberian Mountain Range (2,315m); this gives its name to the winery.