Bodegas Carchello

2007 Jumilla's benchmark wine. Having pioneered a fresher and more complex style, Carchelo has become increasingly concentrated in recent vintages. Almost exclusively from old-vine Monastrell with just a dab of organic Syrah. Dark, ripe density is matched by a fresh, long and spicy finish.

Additional Information

Bodegas Carchelo was founded in the early 1980s in one of the earliest efforts to bring Jumilla into the age of modern wine. Intensive research led to the introduction of international varieties such as Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot, aided by the first scientific use of water in this, the most arid wine region of Spain. Achieving a fresher style, by the early 1990s Carchelo’s rich young red achieved unprecedented international success.

Located at altitudes between 2000 and 3500 feet in the transition between Spain’s coastal plain and inland La Mancha, Jumilla’s aridity combines to result in fresh nighttime temperatures during the hot growing season. Chalky and clay soils offer ideal footing for the red varieties. At under eight inches of rain per year, grape health is seldom a problem. 700 acres of estate vineyards are planted to Monastrell (Mourvèdre, both ungrafted head-pruned and wire trained vineyards), Syrah, Tempranillo, Cabernet and Merlot, and are located in a wide variety of subregions, altitudes and exposures, reducing the risk of frequent hail damage in the area. Only half of the grapes produced by the estate are used, allowing for strict selection of grapes and subsequent wines.