El Nido 2016

The eponymous 2016 El Nido is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Monastrell, the reverse percentages of Clio. The vinification and élevage are the same: it starts in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and finishes in French and American oak barriques, where the wine matured for some 23 months. I was quite pleasantly surprised by this 2016, as I expected a weaker wine that would show the élevage more, but I found a juicy palate and the oak was quite integrated. The tannins are fine-grained, and the palate reveals flavors of sweet spices and dark chocolate. This is not that far from the 2015. I tasted from two bottles—one just opened and one that had been uncorked 24 hours before—and the wine showed better after 24 hours, which gave me an idea about how the wine can (slowly) evolve in bottle. And you can decant it in advance if you want to drink it now. 5,500 bottles were filled in September 2018.

A big and rich wine with lots of ripe fruit and spice. A little woody with vanilla and coffee character. But shows fruit and ripe tannins. Drink now.