Alto Moncayo Aquilon

Aquilon bottle image

Wine Description

The wines of Alto Moncayo are crafted to express the unique terroir of windswept high elevation Campo de Borja DO; and to serve as a benchmark for world class Old Vine Garnacha.

Aquilón is "The jewel in the Crown" a selection of the best barrels from the best lots. The vines are 60-100 years old.

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Acclaim
“Saturated ruby. Potent, mineral- and smoke-accented blackberry, cherry preserve, vanilla and potpourri aromas are complicated by an exotic spice nuance that builds steadily with air. Seamless, concentrated and alluringly sweet, offering palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur, spicecake, vanilla, mocha and floral pastille flavors and a hint of allspice. Finishes sappy, smooth and extremely long, with harmonious tannins and lingering spice and floral notes. Raised in a 90/10 mix of new French and American oak barrels.”
— Vinous, Feb 2021
"The top cuvée is the 2015 Alto Moncayo Aquilon, 100% Garnacha that’s mostly barrel fermented and aged in 10% larger oak American Hogshead and 90% in new French oak. It tastes like the straight Alto Moncayo, just slightly more concentrated, pure, and polished. Black raspberries, crème de cassis, toasted spices, chocolate, and crushed flower notes all give way to a full-bodied, ethereally textured, seamless, yet power-packed beauty that I’d be thrilled to drink anytime over the coming decade or more."
— Jeb Dunnuck, Mar 2018
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Privately owned vineyards mainly in the Tabuenca and Borja area.
Soil composition
Iron-rich, Gravel, and Stony
Elevation:
1,200-2,400 feet
Exposure:
Southern
Harvest time:
Late October/Early November
First vintage of this wine:
2002
Average Vine Age:
80
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold maceration
Maceration length:
7-8
Varietal composition:
100% Garnacha
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
12-15 days
Fermentation temperature:
77-86 °F
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barrels
Size of aging container:
225 Liters for the French Oak and 300 Liters for the American
Type of oak:
French and American
Length of aging before bottling:
24
Age of Aging Container:
New
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.4
Acidity:
5.7 g/L
Alcohol:
16 %
Dry extract:
30 g/L
Residual sugar:
2.5 g/L
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Wine Production

The selected highest quality grapes are placed into small stainless-steel tanks of 7 tons capacity. The must is basket pressed and fermentation is finished in new French and American oak where it complets the malolactic fermentation. Wine is aged in the barrels for 24 months before bottling.

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About the Vineyard

Vineyards in Tabuenca and Borja, planted with indegenous clones of Garnacha starting in the 1920s.