Nicholas Pearce presents the organic Monastrell wines of Bodegas Los Frailes…

A family estate of 162 hectares of vineyards, Mediterranean forest, almond and olive trees with a unique terroir: high altitude at 650-700 meters over sea level, a strict dry farming, vines of more than 75 years old (average 40 years old) of our native grape, Monastrell, soils extremely calcareous, and the influence of the Mediterranean Sea.
 
Casa Los Frailes was certified organic in 2002, being one of the very first ones in Spain. 17 years later, they are convinced that they do not only need to respect and sustain the land, but also transform it and make it a livelihood. As a result, they embrace biodynamic agriculture searching the uniqueness of the climatology and the geology of their terroir. This firm commitment allows them to create unique and singular wines.

All wines are certified organic and biodynamic.

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2016 Bilogia Monastrell-Syrah DO Valencia $19.95
This wine arises from a very Spanish blend of Monastrell and Syrah grapes carefully selected from the best plots of our estate. Aging for twelve months in oak barrels highlights its unique character. Its personality makes it a pleasant, warm, complex wine, perfect for tasting and drinking any time. Winemaker’s Notes: Cherry red color with purple shines. In nose, it is fresh with intense aromas of red fruits, jam, cherries and plums. Aroma of toast with notes of liquorices and coffee. In mouth, the fruit perfectly blends with the oak, showing sweet tannins followed by a round, fresh and complex structure. Long and intense aftertaste.

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2018 Blanc de Trilogia Sauvignon Blanc-Muscat-Verdil $23.95
The extremely calcareous soil is the main force for the surprising elegance and finesse of this Mediterranean white. The balance of the 3 grapes, acidity and freshness in the Sauvignon Blanc, the aromatic profile of the Muscat and the unique personality of the local grape Verdil, make it a citric, fresh and elegant white. Although this wine is consumed shortly after release, we have been pleased to see that they age beautifully for five to ten years. 90-91 Robert Parker

2018 Los Frailes Monastrell $17.95
100% Monastrell made as the friars did centuries ago, in concrete vats. It is an estate wine coming from a blend of different vineyards from Casa Los Frailes, with an average age of 25 years old in dry agriculture. It feels quite fresh, with notes of red rather than black fruit, and it’s clean and fruit-driven, as the variety is well-adapted to the climate conditions and behaves well in warm years. It’s medium-bodied and has very fine tannins, good freshness and varietal flavors. Very pleasant and drinkable, it’s approachable and polished but should last a few more years. The perfect Paella wine.

2017 Los Frailes Monastrell & Garnacha $18.95
The 2017 Monastrell-Garnacha is a blend of 50% Monastrell and 50% Garnacha Tintorera with a little more body and tannins than the pure Monastrell, as it has the grip of the Garnacha Tintorera. The Monastrell is unoaked, and the Garnacha Tintorera matured in used barrique for some five months. But the wine does not show any oak at all, as it’s fruit-driven and juicy, with good ripeness. There are plenty of fine-grained, slightly powdery tannins. 89pts Robert Parker

2017 Los Frailes Dolomitas DO Valencia $28.95
The pure Monastrell 2017 Dolomitas is from vines planted 30 years ago on soils that have the highest percentage of limestone of their vineyards, which are dry-farmed and head-pruned. It fermented in the old concrete vats that were already used in the 17th century and matured in concrete and clay amphorae, replicating the wines from yesteryear. This feels quite subtle and a little austere, and it’s serious, quite varietal and elegant, with freshness. This is the finest and most elegant of the soil bottlings. 92pts Robert Parker

2017 Los Frailes Caliza DO Valencia $28.95
Produced with some full clusters, the 2017 Caliza is one of three reds selected by the characteristic of the soil (caliza means limestone). It is perhaps more aromatic and exuberant, a more floral expression of Monastrell, with a little more tannins and a slightly powdery texture. This matured in concrete vats for ten months without any contact with oak, and it shows quite pure and true to the variety and place. 91+pts Robert Parker

2017 Los Frailes Rubificado DO Valencia $28.95
A pure Garnacha Tintorera from limestone and iron soils, the 2017 Rubificado shows higher ripeness than the Monastrell, as it ripens early and suffers more in warm years. This fermented with 50% full clusters, and it has a different texture and reveals more rusticity than the Monastrell bottlings and the wine from the last vintage, which was cooler. Garnacha Tintorera behaves better in cooler years. 90pts Robert Parker

2015 Casa Los Frailes 1771 DO Valencia *6 pack $49.95
I’ve always liked their 100% Monastrell bottling that’s named after the year the property was created, and the 2015 1771 is from a classical Mediterranean vintage, to which the variety is perfectly adapted. It has a textbook Monastrell and Mediterranean nose of ripe berries, tree bark, esparto grass, hay, straw, thyme and rosemary. This wine is always an elegant expression of the rusticity of the grape, and the 2015 has a classical style. The grapes were picked under very good conditions, and the wine shows quite relaxed. The wine is polished and drinkable, but it has the stuffing and balance to develop nicely in bottle. It matured in 700-liter French oak barrels for 12 months. 94pts Robert Parker

2011 After 3 Monastrell Late Harvest DO Valencia 500mL $29.95
The sweet red Monastrell 2011 After 3 was bottled with 15% alcohol and some 60 grams of residual sugar, obtained with the fruit of 55-year-old vines that yield 1,000 kilos of grapes per hectare, picked overripe with 19% potential alcohol. The full clusters fermented until it stopped, but it was never fortified. It matured in 225- and 500-liter French oak casks for 12 months. It has the classical Mediterranean aromas of herbs, tree bark and esparto grass (quite varietal), intermixed with notes of black olives, tomato juice and a spicy touch. The palate is not very sweet, it’s very tasty, with some tannins that make it a little difficult to combine with food, perhaps dark chocolate or hard paste cheeses. 90pts Robert Parker

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