“Superb, and a really good value.” - The Wine Advocate, 93 points

We enjoy testing proverbs to see if they can withstand rigorous analysis under experimental conditions, and so far, we have disproved quite a few of their claims. We have observed numerous clouds without a silver lining, we’ve collected moss from a number of rolling stones and we found that every single pot reached boiling point regardless of whether it was being watched or not. We also tested the old saying, “You don’t always get what you pay for, but you never get what you don’t pay for.” This turned out to be a really hard nut to crack, but we finally did it, thanks to this wine! It gave us a singularly wonderful ‘fine wine’ experience, but without the associated price tag. At £15.95, it’s just remarkable value!

I have not wit or letters of the least jot. As I falteringly attempt to describe the nose of this wine, I can hear Cyrano de Bergerac’s words ringing in my ear, after The Viscount had made a feeble attempt to describe Cyrano’s nose, to which Cyrano offered a string of more original alternatives:

“Such, my dear sir, is what you might have said,
Had you of wit or letters of the least jot:
But, oh, most lamentable man! Of wit
You never had an atom, and of letters
You have three letters only! They spell Ass!”

It has, as The Wine Advocate says, “a spectacular nose”, and it’s true, but by golly it’s hard to describe with words. Lucia has manged to express it quite well through interpretive dance, but you will have to take my word for that. It’s a little bit smoky, but only a light wisp, like gunsmoke, there are flowers too, violets maybe, a twist of white pepper, and forest berries after the rain, but everything is so harmonious that it’s hard to pick out individual aromas and I guess that is when a wine is at its most successful.

In the glass, it looks like a Pinot Noir, as it’s morello cherry-red and translucent, but it leans back towards Spain in terms of flavour, with a lovely cold stone mineral aspect that enlivens it as much as the natural acidity and it puts you in mind of those Raul Perez wines from Bierzo, but there’s more fruit in the centre, it’s less edgy and nervy than those, so it’s not wholly dissimilar to a New Zealand Pinot Noir. Oh dear! I haven’t conveyed this very well at all. To describe myself, I have three letters only. 13.5% alc. 60% Bonicaire and 40% Monastrell. Drink now-2028.

vegan-friendly

Press review:

The Wine Advocate: “The 2022 La Lloma is their young red from old vines, a blend of 60% Bonicaire and 40% Monastrell from head-pruned vines planted in 1946 and 1979 that they took over six years ago and had to recover. The varieties fermented separately, the Bonicaire with 100% full clusters and carbonic maceration and the Monastrell with 30% full clusters, and then they aged separately in used 500-litre barrels for two months before being blended and put back in barrel for another four months. It has 13.5% alcohol and notable freshness and acidity, with a spectacular nose, perfumed, floral, fresh and elegant, and a medium-bodied palate, fine-boned, with chalky tannins and very good grip. It's superb, and a really good value too. Drink now-2028.” 93 points

Customer comment:

“Really like La Lloma. Great choice. Very much to our taste.” - Mr P.C.