Many years ago I came across this wonderful red. I actually discovered it at a local wine fair in Valencia, where a friend introduced me to the representatives of the vinyards and I have to say I have always really enjoyed it. However I almost totally forgpt about it as it wasn't available in my local supermarket until recently when I cam a cross it in the Corte Inglés. Although it was slightly more expensive than I had remembered, at €9.98, I picked up a bottle. It was fantastic. The wine is called TRILOGIA and is made by Bodegas Los Frailes.
Since 1771, Bodegas Los Frailes has belonged to the family Velazquez without any interruption. The winery was formerly a property of the Jesuits friars, hence the name 'Los Frailes', who were expelled from Spain in 1767 by King Carlos III. Four years later a written manuscript reveals that their ancestors acquired in public auction the house, lands and cellar known as “Casa Los Frailes”- Friar house. The estate is located near Valencia, 80 Km from the Mediterranean Sea and at 700 meters above sea level where the vineyards enjoy a unique climate.
Bodegas Los Frailes Estate occupies over 130 hectares of terrain located in the valley ‘Els Alforins’. The main grape variety is the Monastrell, a variety traditionally planted in ‘Els Alforins’ region, which was partially lost during the last century as a consequence of the growth of more popular varieties (e.g Cabernet Sauvignon). Their main goal is the reintroduction of the Monastrell grape combined with the incorporation of new varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Maselan, Shiraz, Garnacha) to raise the unique personality of their wines.
60% of the estate is planted with Monastrell, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and the other 20% is a mixture of Tempranillo, Marselan, Shiraz, Garnacha. They have a wide variety of soils spread out on hillsides, ranging in altitude from a maximum of 800 meters down to the bottom of the valley.
Trilogia : Organic Red wine
Grape Varieties: Monastrell 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20% and Tempranillo 10%
Ageing: 12 months in Hungarian oak barrels
Trilogía comes from a careful selection of the best grapes of all the plots on the estate. Monastrell’s roundness, Tempranillo’s richness, Cabernet Sauvignon’s aromatic elegance, make it a renowned wine. This is the wine that best reflects the uniqueness of their terroir.
Winemaker’s Notes: Intensive dark black cherry color. Powerful and elegant on nose with aromas of black and red fruits, dark chocolate enriched by toasty and spicy notes. Full, powerful attack,refined tannins. In the mouth, fresh herbs and ripen fruits, coffee and well-structured with refined notes of liquorice and spicy flavours. Very persistent.
Food matching: This complex wine matches very well with any red meat dish, dried cheese, young lamb, game hunting dish.
Drinking temperature: 18 °C/ 62 °F
Awards:
Guia Penin Trilogia 05 Score: 90/100
Gold Medal Biofach 2008. Germany .Trilogia 2005
Gold Medal Concurs Mondial de Bruxelles. Belgium. Trilogia 05
Bronze Medal Cofradia Vino Monastrel-Murcia. Trilogia 05.
Best wine from Cata Els Bodeguers 2006. Valencia Trilogia 05
Ecoracimos de Plata, 86,20 puntos. Cordoba Trilogia 05
Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) Trilogia 03 Score: 87/100
Available online here: http://www.alforins.com/vinos/art.php?ref=FRAT01