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Buy OnlineWinery notes (2020 Vintage)
"The 2020 vintage is the first vintage where this wine has come solely from our Armantes vineyards: contiguous parcels planted between 1937 and 1942 situated at around 800m above sea level. We find that Garnacha on these marl and limestone soils gives more exotic & ethereal elements and impart a precise and floral profile to the Garnacha grape with marked acidity and a low pH. Austere during fermentation and ageing but very rewarding with age.
espite being North-East facing, we normally harvest these two parcels at the onset of harvest. The grapes were harvested into 20kg cases and were stored between 0 and 1 degrees in a cool room with controlled humidity. Fermented together in an open top fermenter with 20% whole bunches included in a layer cake fashion. Gentle punching down was applied once or twice a day during a long, slow, gentle fermentation after the grapes warmed up from their cold soak.
Afterwards we carried out a long maceration and malolactic fermentation took place on skins. After pressing the wine remained sur lie in second use 500 litre, fine-grained French oak barrels for 13 months.
Intense ruby red in colour, the nose is still very youthful, deep and complex with constantly evolving aromas: from wild red fruits, beets, dried orange peel and a light touch of mountain herbs as the wine opens up. Fine tannins, nuanced, slightly lighter and fresher than previous years. Drinking 2023 and onwards for many years. We only release El Cismático when we believe we have the correct conditions to make an Old Vine Garnacha with the capacity to age gracefully for years in bottle, gaining complexity along the way."
96/100 JamesSuckling.com (2020 Vintage)
"Attractive aromas of ripe cherries, wild raspberries, hints of licorice, dried flowers, blood orange and bitter chocolate. Medium- to full-bodied with vivid acidity that adds a lot of freshness and tension with orange peel and spice undertones. Very pure and pristine. A little chewy at the end with peppery notes to it. Chalky, mineral sensation in the finish. 100% garnacha. 20% whole bunch. Plantings between 1937 and 1942. Drink or hold."
95/100 Luis Gutierrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2020 Vintage)
"Traditionally the top wine of Norrel’s stable El Cismático is only produced in vintages with the correct conditions to make an Old Vine Garnacha with the capacity to age gracefully for years in bottle, gaining complexity along the way. The 2020 vintage is the first vintage where this wine has come solely from the Armantes vineyards: contiguous parcels planted between 1937 and 1942 situated at around 800m above sea level. Yielding a miniscule 1.1 tonnes per hectare Garnacha on these marl and limestone soils gives more exotic & ethereal elements and impart a precise and floral profile to the Garnacha grape with marked acidity and a low pH. Austere during fermentation and ageing but very rewarding with age. Despite being North-East facing, the parcels are normally harvested first. The grapes were harvested into 20kg cases and were stored between 0 and 1 degrees in a cool room with controlled humidity. Fermented together in an open top fermenter with 20% whole bunches included in a layer cake fashion. Gentle punching down was applied once or twice a day during a long, slow, gentle fermentation after the grapes warmed up from their cold soak. Afterwards we carried out a long maceration and malolactic fermentation took place on skins. After pressing the wine remained sur lie in second use 500 litre, fine-grained French oak barrels for 13 months."
95/100 Decanter (2020 Vintage)
"An intense and complex wine reflecting its old vine provenance from a single site above Cervera de la Cañada. Spending 13 months in old, 500-litre French oak then a further eight months in cement, the structure of this Garnacha is reminiscent of top Châteauneuf-du-Pape but with a distinctly Calatayud character. Fresh garrigue aromas and dark fruit; deep and concentrated with a peppery finish. Will develop further."
