The Monte Xanic Estate
- Monte Xanic is heralded as the first boutique winery in Mexico, established in 1988. The story goes that this move, (and Monte Xanic's subsequent success) played a major role in starting a trend towards grape farmers making wine from their own grapes rather than raising grapes for sale.
- With a large quantity of land under vine in all the major wine growing valleys of the region, they are by far the most prolific of the boutique wineries in the region.
- Their vineyard sites are farmed sustainably, and their winery operates as a model of modern ecofriendly design.
- The estate weds advanced technology with old world wisdom, such as harvesting all their white grapes by hand at night in order to maintain maximum freshness and acidity.
- The "X" in Xanic is pronounced like a "sh", so Xanic sounds like "shan-eek". Xanic is the name of the white flower that is one of the first to bloom in spring in Valle de Guadalupe. When the spring rains are just right, the mountainside behind the winery is cloaked in their blooms.
Total production: 18 wines, 100,000 cases
2022 Gran Ricardo - Monte Xanic
Tasting Notes and Drinking Window:
This is the next step in the evolution of the wines of Monte Xanic, which has been pushing the threshold of quality since winemaker Oscar Gaona (formerly of Casa Madero) took the helm at the end of the 2018 vintage. The 2021 shows the command he now has over the fruit at his disposal and his ability to use it to target a ultra premium red blend. Really a Bordeaux look-alike, this is approachable upon release but will deeply reward those that choose to cellar it for a decade or so. It appears all is onward and upward for one of Mexico’s top estates.
Drinking window: Upon release (with decant) - 15 years
Vintage:
2022
Blend:
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec
Producer:
Monte Xanic
Winemaker:
Oscar Gaona - Mexican, lives in Valle de Guadalupe
Vineyards:
Valle de Guadalupe - Guadalupe Vineyard - 1,000 ft elevation in granite, lime and sandy soil. Planted in 2008.
Valle de Ojos Negros - Viña Alta Vineyard - 1,800 ft elevation in Sandy soil with some clay. Planted in 2008.
Winemaking:
Harvest for Cabernet Sauvignon was on November 18th, Merlot Oct 2nd, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot on November 14th, and Malbec on November 1st. Fermented in stainless steel tanks for a period of 3 weeks, racked off the less and left to age in 1st and 2nd use barrels from a broad diversity of French forests for maximum complexity. In this vintage wood from Vosges, Allier, Nevers, and Troncais were used. Total time in barrel was 16 months.
Only 35 ppm sulfites added at bottling.
Farming:
Sustainable, organic
Alcohol:
13.9%
