The Mentrida region is nestled in the province of Toledo in central Spain. This area has vineyard references dating back to the 12th century and became a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in 1976. Despite its long history, however, we don't often see wines from Mentrida on the American market, though that is changing. You might recall the name Jimenez-Landi. We sold some of the first releases to come to the states a few years back, the Sotorrondero series starting a couple of years later with a 2006 vintage. The 2008 Sotorrondero (WA 93, $17.99) spent a couple of days here in September of 2010 before an email offer made it disappear.
The Sotorrondero from Bodegas Jimenez-Landi is a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache. The fruit comes from organic vineyards with young Syrah vines (10-years-old) and older Grenache vines (between 40-70 years-old). The winemaking method is still "old-school" and we mean it... they still crush the grapes by foot. They are hands off in the cellar using only native yeasts during fermentation and no chemical additives. The result? A sexy wine packed with lusty dark red and black fruits, a broad, engaging texture, and nuances of smoke and mineral. We like this one better than the 2008 which scored a whole point higher, and Wine Advocate calls this one a "Cote-Rotie look-alike." Given it's 92-Point rating and low price, we don't expect this one to hang around for long either. A steal!
