When one of the wines you make receives a good score from a critic like James Suckling, it is certainly great news. So imagine if that good score is extended to 6 of your wines. That is exactly what has happened to us at Bodega Sierra Norte. In case you don’t know Suckling, he is a famous American wine critic, former senior editor and European Bureau Chief of Wine Spectator. He is a world reference.
Our best wines rated by James Suckling, with 92 points, were Equilibrio 9, a magnificent single-varietal Monastrell, aged 9 months in oak, and Mariluna tinto, made from Bobal and Tempranillo, aged 6 months in oak.
Suckling awarded 91 points to Pasión de Monastrell and Equilibrio 4, both Monastrell single-varietal wines, aged 9 and 4 months in oak, respectively.
The wines awarded 90 points were Fuenteseca tinto and Olcaviana Tempranillo, young, fresh and aromatic wines.
In its scores, Suckling also highlighted six other wines from our winery: Pasión de Bobal and Bercial Ladera Los Cantos received 89 points. The wines 1564 Natural Red, 1564 Natural White, Mariluna white and Fuenteseca white were awarded 88 points.
The Monastrell wines, outstanding
There is a very curious fact that we would like to highlight about the wines that Suckling has given us the best scores, and that is that three of them are single-varietal wines made from the Monastrell grape, which we grow in Jumilla, where we also have a small winery.
These are very elaborate wines, each one with its own profile, and with very different personalities, but with one thing in common: the quality of the grapes they are made from, in all three cases from goblet-trained vineyards of between 50 and 25 years of age.
In the case of Equilibrio 9 (92 James Suckling points), the grapes come from old vines over 40 years old. The winemaking process is admittedly complex. This wine is aged for 9 months in French and American oak barrels. This wine combines ripe red fruit with spicy and balsamic touches in a very balanced way. It is a frank and persistent wine.
Pasión de Monastrell (91 points James Suckling) is made with grapes from a vineyard over 50 years old. Fermentation is controlled at different temperatures and in different phases. Once this process is completed and after devatting, malolactic fermentation takes place in second-fill French oak barrels, where it rests for 6 months. Its aromas are of fresh, ripe red fruit, with toasted notes from the barrel, fine spices with hints of sweet paprika and red peppercorns. With volume and pleasant tannins.
Equilibrio 4 (91 points James Suckling), is made with 100% Monastrell grapes from a vineyard over 25 years old. It is aged for 4 months in mixed second-fill American and French oak barrels. It is a tasty, fresh, slightly balsamic wine, with good body and ripe tannins.
In our online shop you can learn more about each of the award-winning wines, and you can also buy them, just for deliveries in Spain (mainland and Balearic Islands). If you have any doubts about which wine to choose based on the wine profile you like the most, you can consult us at tienda@bodegasierranorte.com