Los Frailes Naturel 2018

The new red 2018 Naturel is a blend of 40% each Syrah and Garnacha and 20% Monastrell. This wine was first produced in 2016 as a pure Monastrell, but 2018 was quite challenging, so they changed to the blend. Also, Monastrell may not be the best variety to make wine without sulfur, which is what this is. The wine is fruity, pure and precise, without any deviations, quite grapey. They bottle it early after a few months in concrete to avoid any deviations. The wine feels very young and lively (almost like a tank sample!), and the palate reveals very good acidity. The tannins are fine, and the finish is dry and quite long. 4,350 bottles were filled in 2019. - Luis Gutiérrez.