| Hello Jeff,
Let face it, to sell wine we have to bring the new. Cork Dorks get excited about famous vineyards and dusty old bottles and centuries of tradition, but Customers get excited about what is new, hot and on the cutting edge. Put a wine on a stack out front with a big sign that says "Just Released" and you are bound to attract more attention than the same stack with a sign that reads "Still Really Good."
But new does not always translate to tasty, and the trick is to know the difference. Wine, just like life, is about balance. Fruit, tannin and acidity in the correct amounts will create a wine that has the quality for a great first impression and the depth to keep them coming back for more. Wine sales are the exact same way. While the customer may seek out a new label, it is the duty of restaurants and retailers to remind them of all the beautiful wines and fantastic values that are already offered. It is important to mix the traditional treasure with the flavor of the week.
But what about a wine that offers both? Who would not enjoy a wine that seamlessly molds tradition and innovation into the same delicious juice? We can think of no winery that better exemplifies this challenging philosophy than Bodegas Montebaco.
Located on the banks of the Duero River in central Spain, Montebaco is the epitome of old world technique and modern day technology. The winery was started in 1982 by Manuel Esteban with the intent of showcasing the high quality of the local vineyards on an international stage. Manuel's son, also Manuel, decided to leave school early to direct the family estate after the elder Manuel passed.
The vines at Montebaco sit approximately 3,000 ft above sea level, high on the dusty plains above the river. The high altitude provides a natural buffer against the heat of the long and hot continental summer, allowing the grapes to hang on the vine well into October and yet retain a bright acid structure and a fresh feel.
The gravel base of the alluvial soil provides excellent drainage for the old vines planted there. The local clone of Tempranillo, called Tinto Finois known to create wines that have more weight, depth and perfume than their cousins from Rioja to the west. Chemicals have never been used on these soils, and all harvesting is done by hand.
It is in the sparkling, state-of-the-art winery where the modern world catches up to the old, dry-farmed vineyards. No expense was spared in the creation of a world-class winemaking facility. The grapes are gently de-stemmed and pressed by pneumatic presses that are more common to Burgundy than to Iberia. The wines are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks before they are transferred to French and American oak barrels. They are bottled unfined and unfiltered with only a minimum of sulphur treatment for stabilization.
The wines are crafted under the watchful eye of César Muñoz, one of Spain's hottest winemakers. In addition to stints at Vega Sicilia and many of the other luminaries of Spanish wine, César has consulted on projects all across the Southern Hemisphere. César's style is like that of a middle-weight prize fighter: his wines are bold, beautiful and balanced, neither too heavy and plodding like a ham-handed heavyweight nor too light and thin like a skin and bones flyweight.
The results are wines that reach to all segments of wine lovers. They are agile enough for those who crave soft Euro-styled wines and yet rich and spicy enough to satisfy the American palate.
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