Cien y Pico, Knights-Errant 2007 Manchuela
From a vineyard in Mahora, dry-grown, 100+-year-old centurion bush vines. This and the Doble Pasta are the result of a collaboration between Elena Golakova Brooks (Bulgarian winemaker), Zar Brooks (crazy Australian winemaker), Luis Jimenez (Spanish winemaker) and Nicola Tucci (Italian winemaker). Zar Brooks tells me that one evening over dinner they got talking about some very old Garnacha vineyards in Manchuela that were about to be pulled up. The got 'spectacularly drunk' and the next morning Luis asked, 'So. do you want to come and meet the growers that you have bought the grapes from?' A bit of a shock. This is the first vintage. 19 months in 85% new French oak. pH 3.67, TA 5.8 g/l, VA 0.72 g/l, RS 3.2 g/l.
Under screwcap. Even darker (is that possible?) than the Doble Pasta. Smells of roses and liquorice and blueberry pie. Incense. Very exotic. Powerfully muscular lustrous tannins. Aniseed and sweet black cherry, deep throated, layered and inky. A silver blade of acidity giving a sharp edge and surprising freshness, lengthening the tireless finish. (TC) 14.2%. 17+/20 Drink 2012-2019