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Castano Monastrell Hecula 2012 750ml

size
750ml
country
Spain
region
Murcia
appellation
Yecla
WA
91
Additional vintages
2019 2015 2013 2012
WA
91
Rated 91 by Wine Advocate
The basic offering from proprietor Ramon Castano Santa, who owns a whopping 1,000 acres in Yecla, is the 2012 Hecula, which is sourced from a non-irrigated, single vineyard planted with 100% Monastrell. Aged in both tank and French oak, it comes from 60-80-year-old vines planted in limestone soils at a relatively high elevation of over 1,600 feet. Its opaque purple color is followed by copious aromas of blueberries, black raspberries, camphor, licorice, white flowers and a chalky limestone/dusty character. Full-bodied, rich and well-balanced, it is an incredible value.
Image of bottle
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Castano Monastrell Hecula 2012 750ml

SKU 763329
Out of Stock
More Details
Winery Castano
barrel

Vintage: 2012

2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in. The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
green grapes

Varietal: Mourvedre

The Mourvèdre grape varietal is today grown all over the Old and New World, and is thought to have originally been brought to Spain by ancient Phoenicians over two thousand years ago. They are not the simplest of varietals to cultivate, and often wineries struggle with Mourvèdre, as they require both heat and moisture, and as such need to grow in well irrigated vineyards in hot regions. However, the resulting wines made from Mourvèdre grapes are usually fascinating and delicious, carrying interesting flavors that are often described as darkly meaty, with plenty of blackberry and other dark berry notes. The wines are often quite tannic and high in alcohol and acid, and as such, it is very common for Mourvèdre to be blended with Grenach and Syrah varietals in order to make superbly balanced wines.
fields

Country: Spain

Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.