red wine review is a delicious, organic and vegan-friendly Monastrell (a.k.a. Mourvèdre) blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. It was featured on the cover and as part of the holiday stocking-up theme in the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.
El Goru wines are produced by Ego Bodegas, a prominent winery located in Jumilla, Spain. Established in 2011 by husband-and-wife team of Santos Ortiz and Ioana Paunescu, the project was borne out of the partners’ passion and effort. Although they started with limited financial resources, the couple had extraordinary talent for creating wines and coordinating the financial, marketing, and sales departments.
Santos, who is Spanish, and Ioana, who is originally from Romania, fell in love with a spectacular farm in the elevated area of Hoya Torres in Jumilla, locally known as the carpenter’s place, surrounded by old vineyards planted to Monastrell. Their approach was to build a commercially viable wine business around three core concepts: Quality, Image, and Price. After two years of planning and hard work, they established Ego Bodegas, a wine brand based on a philosophy that is captured in three words: ego, talento, and infinito — or self, talent, and infinity — reflecting their passion, learning, and dreams without limits.
Today, Ego Bodegas has 35 hectares of vineyards, most of which are planted to native varieties, with a particular focus on Monastrell, a varietal exceptionally well adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of Jumilla. The dark, calcareous soils have good permeability and moisture-retention properties, helping the vines endure long periods of drought. The climate in Jumilla is continental and arid, influenced by the Mediterranean Sea to the east and the plateau of La Mancha to the west. Since the beginning, Santos and Ioana have taken a contemporary approach to winemaking, combining traditional methods with modern techniques. While Monastrell remains central to Ego Bodegas, the winery continues to innovate, expanding its portfolio to include wines made from other varieties, as well as blends that combine international grapes with Monastrell to create modern expressions of Jumilla.
Like the 2020 El Goru 38 Barrels I enjoyed early last year, this vintage is also primarily crafted with Monastrell (approx. 85%) and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. The selected grapes were collected manually with great care, placed in small boxes and brought to the winery. It underwent a cold maceration for a week to extract the greatest amount of aromatics and colour, which was helped by using the pigeage method (punch-downs) for a controlled and regulated extraction. The wine was made exclusively and carefully from a selection of 38 barrels, in a combination of both French and American oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation took place in these 38 barrels, followed by ageing for 12 months in their temperature-controlled cellars.
Like the 2020 El Goru 38 Barrels I enjoyed early last year, this vintage is also primarily crafted with Monastrell (approximately 85%), with the balance being Cabernet Sauvignon. The selected grapes were harvested manually, carefully placed in small boxes, and brought to the winery. They underwent a week of cold maceration to extract maximum aromas and colour, with punch-downs (pigeage) used to help regulate extraction. The wine was made exclusively and carefully from a selection of 38 barrels, in a combination of both French and American oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation took place in these 38 barrels, followed by ageing for 12 months in their temperature-controlled cellars.
The 2021 growing season in Jumilla began with a cold and rainy spring, while summer was also cooler than usual. August brought higher temperatures, including a week of intense heat that challenged some varieties. Rainfall towards the end of harvest meant extra work in the vineyards, while northerly winds and favourable temperatures from late September to early October helped the grapes reach optimal ripeness and develop intense varietal flavours. From a cooler vintage, let’s see how this 2021 Monastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Jumilla is tasting tonight…
Tasting Note:
EL GORU 38 BARRELS MONASTRELL/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 – Vegan, DO Jumilla, Spain (#41096) (XD) – $21.95
Organic. Mainly Monastrell with Cabernet Sauvignon in support, this has a fresh, medium-high intensity nose that offers ripe black fruits, blackberry, and black cherry aromas alongside purple fruit, and spice with savoury earth, and oak undertones. On the dry, medium+ weighted palate it is quite spicy with a delicious core of ripe black & purple fruits, blackberry, black cherry, plum, cedar oak, and savoury earth flavours in a slightly warming profile. Refreshing acids are crisp and juicy, while the refined tannins have a slightly grippy, chalky textured mouthfeel, with good structure. Ripe black fruits taper to cedar oak, smoke, and earth notes on the long, crisp finish. Give this highly recommended buy a slight chill and enjoy over the next 3-5 years. Recommended buy! Score: 90 pts
Other lovely wines by Ego Bodegas are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent – KOLONAKI Group of Companies.