Bodegas Ponce Depaula Monastrell 2024

The one red that is different, produced with Monastrell grapes, is the 2024 Depaula, which for Juan António shows more varietal character this year, with notes he describes as tomato vine and balsamic. 2024 was very low yielding and ripeness was high, and the wines have more volume. This has 14% alcohol (a full 1% more than in 2023), a pH of 3.65 and 5.8 grams of acidity. The vines are getting older and show more nuance and balance each year. The grapes are from a vineyard he purchased in the village of Mahora. They fermented with 100% full clusters in 4,500-liter oak vats, where the wine matured. It's a little more serious, dark and earthy than the reds from other varieties, and it has elegant rusticity. The tannins are very fine, and the wine is approachable, but it has the seriousness the variety can have. Again, this overdelivers for the price. This is the last vintage that the wine will come from one single vineyard, as the new plantings came into production in 2025, which will add more freshness to the 2025 wine. 12,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2025. Drink 2026-2032. 93 Points Luis Gutiérrez - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate