The Monte Xanic Estate
- Monte Xanic is heralded as the first boutique winery in Mexico, established in 1988. The story goes that this move, (and Monte Xanic's subsequent success) played a major role in starting a trend towards grape farmers making wine from their own grapes rather than raising grapes for sale.
- With a large quantity of land under vine in all the major wine growing valleys of the region, they are by far the most prolific of the boutique wineries in the region.
- Their vineyard sites are farmed sustainably, and their winery operates as a model of modern ecofriendly design.
- The estate weds advanced technology with old world wisdom, such as harvesting all their white grapes by hand at night in order to maintain maximum freshness and acidity.
- The "X" in Xanic is pronounced like a "sh", so Xanic sounds like "shan-eek". Xanic is the name of the white flower that is one of the first to bloom in spring in Valle de Guadalupe. When the spring rains are just right, the mountainside behind the winery is cloaked in their blooms.
Total production: 18 wines, 100,000 cases
2022 Cabernet Sauvignon - Monte Xanic
Tasting Notes and Drinking Window:
As Monte Xanic moves forward from vintage to vintage with winemaker Oscar Gaona, the results are ever more stunning. This 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent example of Oscar’s implementation of three critical techniques to send the quality of their wines in a whole new direction: multiple harvest to get just the ripe fruit, harsher pruning to increase concentration, and tighter selection to make sure only the best fruit makes it into the press. Naturally, this has all come at a cost and buyers who are familiar with their wines from vintages past will notice the significant increase in price, but when it comes as a result of dedication to higher quality, we are absolutely in favor of it. Aged for 13 months is first use French oak this is a classically styled Cabernet that stands out for its balance of intensity and elegance. Really a lovely wine.
Drinking window: Upon release - 10 years
Vintage:
2022
Blend:
100% Cabernet
Producer:
Monte Xanic
Winemaker:
Oscar Gaona - Mexican, lives in Valle de Guadalupe
Vineyards:
Granite and clay mix
Aging:
Aged in 1st use French oak for 13 months
Farming:
Sustainable
Alcohol:
13.4%
