2005 Finca Sandoval Manchuela
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Tasting notes
The 2005 Finca Sandoval is 76% Syrah, 13% Mourvedre, and 11% Bobal fermented with native yeasts followed by malolactic fermentation in barrel with lees stirring, followed by aging from 11-13 months in French and American oak, a mix of new and seasoned 225 and 300-liter barrels. Purple-colored, the wine offers up an alluring nose of toasty oak, mineral, floral notes, blueberry, and blackberry. This leads to a full-bodied, ripe, layered wine with superb integration of oak, tannin, and acidity. There is enough structure to support 3-5 years of evolution in the cellar. This outstanding effort should be at its best between 2012 and 2025. Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Fine Estates from Spain; tel. (781) 461-5767
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
75% Syrah, the rest Monastrell and Bobal in roughly equal parts. Quite closed at the moment. Very dark, very smoky with a touch of baked rubber. Dry and savoury on the palate but there is so much concentrated black fruit hidden in there and waiting to emerge. Notable Syrah pepperiness. (JH)
(76% syrah with 13% mourvedre and 11% bobal) Inky purple. Sharply focused raspberry and blackberry scents are complemented by fresh flowers, licorice and graphite. Crisp and poised, offering intense, finely focused red and dark fruit flavors, and impressively silky texture and fully absorbed tannins. Fresh and energetic on the long, spicy finish. I suspect that this extremely impressive, syrah-based wine will put on weight and gain sweetness with a couple years of aging.
Victor de la Serna: A red wine (76% Syrah, 13% Minstrel/Mourvèdre, 11% Bobal), from our vineyards in Ledaña, Cuenca province. Average yields, 22 hl/ha. Hand-harvested. Fermented in 50-hl open vats with hand pigeage. Malolactic in barrel. Aged 11 months in French (85%) and American oak, using 225-litre and 300-litre barrels (55% new), with several rackings. Bottled without fining or filtration in Sept 2006. Exceptionally dark, voluptuous purple. Great savoury note of Syrah on the nose – though very much riper than any, say, northern Rhône wine would be. Fizzy and tense and exciting. Very chewy and youthful but serious and ambitious – if anything more obvious French influence than in earlier vintages. Finishes dry and the alcohol is well hidden. Some tar – virtually nothing sweet. (JR)