2018 Garage Wine Co Carignan Blend Lot 96 Bagual Vineyard Maule Valley

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 95 points

"The 2018 Bagual Vineyard Cariñena Garnacha Monastrell marked with lot #96 (in the past, this wine has been bottled with numbers 76, 66, 56 and 46) comes from the same vineyard as the pure Garnacha—only 1.1 hectares of old vines with a field blend of the three varieties (even if the Garnacha was regrafted much later). Also like the pure Garnacha, this 2018 is rounder and has better quality tannins than the 2019. This is earthy and very much marked by the Cariñena character, with good ripeness and freshness. Malolactic usually takes around seven months, and the élevage is extended over two winters in third use or older, well-seasoned and neutral barrels. This reminds me of an elegant Priorat. 4,971 bottles were filled in January 2020." - Luis Gutierrez

Review Date: August 2021