2020 Palacios Remondo Crianza La Montesa
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
95% Garnacha, 5% others. La Montesa comes from three plots – Valtomelloso, Valfrío and Valviejo – planted in silty, alluvial soil at 550 m elevation. Organic viticulture. The vintage was challenging as 450 mm of rain fell, half of it within three months. 20% stem inclusion. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless-steel vats. Aged in mix of new and used barrels (80% French and 20% American) for 12 months. Fined but not filtered. Savoury fruit and dusty tannins. There is an earthy complexity that makes it very appealing and almost Pinot-like, though it lacks the definition and fruit purity of the 2018, 2019 and 2021 shown alongside. (FG)
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The modern-inspired 2020 La Montesa is a blend of 90% Garnacha and 10% other red varieties sourced from Monte Yerga in Alfaro, Rioja Oriental. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, this infusion-like wine boasts a purple-red color. Its enticing, earthy-reductive nose presents notes of blood and sour cherry, intertwined with herbal and grapefruit undertones. The palate is precise and exhilarating, with a lean and taut profile that vibrates with a juicy, chalky mouthfeel, all balanced on a refreshing core—an alluring, flavorful red.
They are going for lower yields and less bottles of the 2020 La Montesa and slowly putting prices up, as they feel the wine is more serious than what the perception of the affordable price makes it. 2020 is a powerful vintage; it's structured and textured, the oak is very nicely integrated (12 months in barrel, but the powerful wine absorbed it completely), and it's powerful with 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.55, a little darker than in previous years. The tannins are very fine with a subtle chalky texture. There were 2,319 barrels that resulted in 672,000 bottles, 10,000 magnums and some larger and smaller formats. It was bottled from April 2022.