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
2023 Gran Ricardo - Monte Xanic
Tasting Notes and Drinking Window:
The 2023 Gran Ricardo highlights Oscar Gaona’s increasingly meticulous handling of the estate’s vineyards, with multiple passes through each parcel and separate vinifications allowing every component to contribute at its highest level. A remarkably temperate growing season brought clarity and freshness to the fruit, shaping a wine defined more by detail and aromatic character than sheer scale.
Cabernet Sauvignon from Valle de Guadalupe anchors the blend with depth and color, while Merlot introduces vivid blue fruit tones, Cabernet Franc lends delicate herbal notes, and Malbec brings a floral edge reminiscent of violets. Refined, layered, and beautifully composed, this vintage carries itself with quiet confidence and the structure to develop gracefully over time.
2,500 cases made
Drinking window: Upon release - 15 yearsVintage:
2023
Blend:
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec
Producer:
Monte Xanic
Winemaker:
Oscar Gaona - Mexican, lives in Valle de Guadalupe
Vineyards:
Valle de Guadalupe - Guadalupe Vineyard - 1,000 ft elevation in granite, lime and sandy soil. Planted in 2008.
Valle de Ojos Negros - Viña Alta Vineyard - 1,800 ft elevation in Sandy soil with some clay. Planted in 2008.
Winemaking:
Harvest for Cabernet Sauvignon was on November 18th, Merlot Oct 2nd, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot on November 14th, and Malbec on November 1st. Fermented in stainless steel tanks for a period of 3 weeks, racked off the less and left to age in 1st and 2nd use barrels from a broad diversity of French forests for maximum complexity. In this vintage wood from Vosges, Allier, Nevers, and Troncais were used. Total time in barrel was 16 months. 35 ppm sulfites added at bottling.
Farming:
Sustainable, organic
Alcohol:
13.9%
