The 2009 Canalizo is again a blend, this time Monastrell, Syrah and Tempranillo aged in French barriques for 14 months with a ripe nose of hay and straw and esparto grass, tree bark, smoke and cereals with a lactic touch. It shows evolution, developing tertiary aromas of meat and bonfire, incense and cigar ash. The palate shows rusticity, old-styled, with plenty of oak that seems to be drying up the fruit. Drink up. Only 5,000 bottles were produced.

The 2008 Canalizo is the top wine of their range, a blend of 40% Monastrell, 40% Syrah and 20% Tempranillo which carried out its malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels where it aged for a further 14 months. It’s intense and concentrated, balsamic, with black fruit, smoked, redolent of cured meats, some leather and tertiary aromas. The time in bottle has polished the wine, which feels more velvety, with balanced acidity and polished tannins. 4,000 bottles were produced. Drink 2013-2016. Carchelo is a name with a long story in the Jumilla appellation, a brand created in 1989 and once owned by Juan Carlos Lopez de Lacalle (Artadi, El Seque) and Agapito Rico, one of the pioneers of the appellation. It’s currently owned by a Jumilla cheese company, Queseria Montesino. The wines are made by oenologist Joaquin Galvez, who knows the region, its vineyards and wines quite well. They have changed both their labels and their image. They own 180 hectares of vineyards, which are on average 14 years old, and control a further 20, from which they produce 400,000 bottles annually. An old name to be followed up again. Imported by Stephen Metzler, Classical Wines from Spain, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 297-6713