Garage Wine Co. Bagual Vineyard Lot 106 Dry Farmed Old Vines 2019

They say the 2019 Bagual Vineyard Cariñena Garnacha Monastrell is a tribute to the resilience of the plowmen farmers of the Maule who have been stewards of the vines of Caliboro since colonial times. It’s marked as lot #106, as it’s the 106th wine they have bottled since 2001. I left this wine in the glass for a long time, and it didn’t stop changing and improving. At first, it felt a little rougher than the 2018, but it opened up and cleaned in the glass, and in the end it was as good (and perhaps better!). It reveals the more floral side of Cariñena, with low alcohol (13.5%) and notable acidity (6.33 in tartaric) and freshness (pH 3.25!), vibrant and long. These are intellectual wines that require time but are deeply satisfying. I have to say that I kept changing my mind (and my scores!) as the wines developed in the glass; they are not to be assessed quickly. They are a moving target! I think there’s more complexity here than in the pure Garnacha… Drink date: 2021-2029. Score – 95+. (Luis Gutiérrez, robertparker.com, Aug. 31, 2021)