GRILLO 2018
Meats
Stew
Cheese
Sausages
Description
Grillo 2018 is the most iconic and exclusive wine from Bodegas El Grillo y la Luna, a family-run winery based in Barbastro (Huesca), in the heart of the Somontano PDO. The 2018 vintage is, according to technical director Alberto Santiago, "the most elegant produced by the winery to date", with a fresher and more refined profile than its predecessors. A historic edition with production limited to just 10,000 bottles.
Made with a careful blend of Syrah (44%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Garnacha (14%) and Merlot (7%), sourced from the winery's own vineyards, which are farmed with a maximum yield of 1.2 kg of grapes per vine. The harvest is entirely manual, with 12-kilogram boxes and a double manual selection of bunches and berries—a standard that ensures only the finest grapes reach the winery.
The winemaking is artisanal and highly precise: fermentation in French oak fudres, with varieties and plots separated, allowing the identity of each grape to be preserved before blending with complete control. Clarification is carried out exclusively by gravity, without any interventions. The wine is aged for 13 months in 225-liter French oak barrels—only 100 barrels in total—followed by time in the bottle. The production was guided by the oenological advice of the prestigious French consultant Mikael Laizet.
Deep ruby-red color with high opacity and violet rim. On the nose, elegant and expressive, gaining intensity as it aerates: aromas of ripe red fruit, spices such as black pepper, and well-integrated toasted notes from the oak. On the palate, it is round, balanced, and full-bodied, with very silky and fleshy tannins, excellent balance between alcohol and acidity, and a long, persistent finish where aromas of fruit and toast reappear intensely. 92 pts James Suckling (2012/2013 vintage).
Serving temperature: 16–17°C. Ideal with pan-seared foie gras, duck confit, salmon en croûte, grilled red meats and aged cheeses.
