The Bodegas Luzon Estate

Another wonderful wine from Spain that has very unique qualities.  Alotos de Luzon 2005 is a unique thats grapes come from two different vineyards. I purchased the wine for seventeen dollars.  Bodegas Luzon is an the estate in Spain that produces this wine. The Gil family founded the Bodegas Luzon estate in 1916.  Read more about the estate at Bodegas Luzon.

Bodegas Luzon is an estate located in the mountains of Jumilla. The grapes for Alotos de Luzon were hand selected from two vineyards.  The Monastrell grape is harvested from 50 year old vines from the Montesinos Vineyard.  The Cabernet Sauvignon grape and the Tempranillo grapes come from 20 year old vines from the Castillo de Lzon Vineyard.  The moutains of Jumilla soil is very chalky, gravily soil that causes the grapes to struggle against hte harsh climate.  The Altos de Luzon 2005 is a blend of three grapes. Which fifty percent of the wine comes from the Monastrell grape, twenty five percent from the Cabernet Sauvigon and twenty five percent from the Tempranillo. The grapes were harvested into small boxes then ferminted in stainless steel.  The wine is carefully undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged in French and American oak barrels for 12 months. After the Bodegas Luzon estate fermintes the wine it is carefully aged in French and American barrels for 12 months.

Looking at the label.

• The wine label tells us the name at the top.
• Next is the year, 2005.
• Followed by the region the wine was produced in.

The aroma is intense with blackberries and plums.  Along with the aroma hints of the warm spices and oak. The flavors are full of plums, blackberries and warm spices with a hint taste of oak.  This wine goes great with veal parmigiane.  I would suggest other Italian food also.

Here Thomas Matthews gives his review on the Altos de Luzon for the Wine Spectator.

89 Points - "This plush red delivers ripe, sweet blackberry and kirsch flavors backed by chocolate and cola from oak, with appealing earthy accents. The tannins are well-integrated, the structure balanced. Drink now through 2011." —Thomas Matthews, Wine Spectator, November 15, 2007.

I really dont taste the tannins in this wine.  I love the hint of oak yet I do not understand what he means by the cola from the oak.  I did do some research and all I found is Kalimotxo.  Which is fifty percent wine and fifty percent cola.

Here Jay Miller gives his review of thw Altos de Luzon 2005 for the Wine Advocate.

89 Points - "The 2005 Altos de Luzon is 50% old-vine Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Tempranillo (not commonly seen in Jumilla). It was barrel fermented in new French and American oak where it remained for 12 months. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up an enticing perfume of mineral, garrigue, blueberry, and blackberry. Layered and ripe with enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years, this pleasing effort can be enjoyed now and over the next 8-10 years." —Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, February 2008. (more info)

I do not see where Jay gives us a review on the taste of the wine.  He gave history and aroma.  I did not smell the mineral and garrigue aroma from the wine.  I wish he would have express more on the wonderful flavors of plums, blackberries and oak.