2002 El Nido Clio

The sensational 2002 Clio, a blend of 70% Mourvedre (60-year old vines) and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon (25-year old vines), exhibits a dense purple color along with a rich, sumptuous bouquet of toasty vanillin, blueberries, blackberries, roasted espresso, chocolate, and earth. Full-bodied, with sweet tannin, fabulous concentration, a multilayered mouthfeel, and a long finish, this is a tour de force in winemaking. It provides strong evidence of what can be achieved in this once backwater/boondock viticultural region of Spain. Anticipated maturity: now-2016. This is a joint project between the Gil family, who has done so much to put Jumilla on the map with the wines from Finca Luzon, wine broker Jorge Ordonez, one of the pioneers for unearthing high quality wines from Jumilla, and famed Barossa, Australia winemaker, Chris Ringland. The debut releases, the 2002 is a spectacular effort that establishes new benchmarks, not only in terms of its bold pricing, but also the extraordinary quality of what is in the bottle. The fruit is harvested by hand in small baskets, picked very ripe, given a severe triage, and fermented in open top, three to four ton vats. The wine is aged in 100% new French and American oak for malolactic fermentation and for 26 months prior to being bottled. This wine is just one more reason why the wine world is more exciting than ever! Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Fine Estates From Spain, Dedham, MA; tel. (781) 461-5767