From DRC to Vega Sicilia...
"Jorge Monzón, the proprietor of the diminutive Dominio del Águila, has been collecting some of the oldest vines in the region on bony limestone soils and vinifying them in a crazy old winery with a very cramped, dark subterranean cellar… the presence of Monzón, a true vigneron in the original, Burgundian sense of the word, is refreshing in a region many have called Spain's Napa Valley, thanks to the millions of dollars of investment in creating sleek New World reds and striking architectural wineries. But in the face of overwhelming novelty and innovation, it's often the lingering past that's the most compelling feature." — Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay, The Sommelier's Atlas of Taste
While the rest of Ribera del Duero was pouring millions into glass-walled wineries and international clones, Jorge Monzón was busy saving vines nobody else wanted. Below you will find the story of a man who had every incentive to chase high scores, but chose old vines and preservation instead.
In 2010, Jorge Monzón founded Dominio del Águila in his hometown village of La Aguilera. At the time, heavy extraction was fashionable in Ribera del Duero. Quietly and humbly, Monzón decided he wanted to preserve a heritage that was long being abandoned in his region.
To understand his goals, you just have to look at his education. Monzón was born into a family of vignerons before studying soil viticulture and enology at the Universities of Bordeaux and Burgundy. One day he knocked on the door of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and asked for a job. He spent two years working exclusively under Bernard Noblet, the famed cellar master at DRC, absorbing an uncompromising and detail-obsessed philosophy of winemaking. He then returned to Spain and worked at Vega Sicilia before a stint at the traditionalist Arzuaga Navarro.
Those experiences forged his mission. Around La Aguilera, whose name translates to "Eagles Nest", ancient vineyards of massale selection Tempranillo mixed with native white varieties were in imminent danger. Growers were ripping them out to plant high-yield modern clones. Jorge slowly began amassing 60- to 150-year-old parcels, one small plot at a time, on a mission to preserve these ancient vines. Today he and his wife Isabel Rodero farm 66 hectares organically. Isabel is a trained architect, and she personally oversaw the restoration of the three 15th-century subterranean cellars where the wines now age.
Monzón treated his saved vineyards the way Burgundy treats a cru. Picaro comes from sandy clay limestone and gravel on a north-facing site. Reserva draws from 90-year-old vines on sandy clay limestone. Penas Aladas is his Gran Reserva from a single exceptional site whose power demands years of elevage to tame. Canta la Perdiz comes from 100- to 150-year-old ungrafted vines on high-elevation gravelly clay. Jorge considers this the Grand Cru of the village.
When it comes to his red wines, Jorge is not trying to emulate anyone. The wines are entirely his own. We are not saying they lack power. This is old vine Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero after all, and they are undeniably concentrated. But between the whole-cluster co-fermentation, the foot treading, and the slow aging in those cold 15th-century subterranean cellars, that raw power is framed by a level of nuance only seen from the most talented winemakers.
Then there is the white wine. People reach for Burgundy comparisons like Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Dominique Lafon, and Coche Dury, and one critic has called it Spanish Coche-Dury outright.
Production is small and does not grow much year to year. Some cuvées top out under 2000 bottles. It is a pleasure to offer you some of my favorite wines from Spain today. These wines are slated to arrive at the end of August, so please allow us some time for shipment. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out at shop@mwcwine.com.
Dominio del Águila
2018 Ribera del Duero Blanco, Albillo - 12+ btls @ $145/btl
This is not the same wine as the Albillo Vinas Viejas, but it is still an old vine wine. When importer IPO was visiting the domaine, they tasted this experimental cuvée and decided to buy as much of it as Jorge would allow. The wine sees an additional three hours of skin contact, imparting more textural elements to the glass. Lightly reductive like the Vinas Viejas, this wine is an absolute stunner.
2019 Ribera del Duero, Variedades Ancestrales Blanco En Pipa - 12+ btls @ $224/btl
This is a field blend of ancient white varieties harvested together from pre-phylloxera vineyards. It includes Albillo Mayor, Albillo Real, Pirules, Castellana Blanca, Garnacha Blanca, and other nearly extinct local grapes. If you love the nutty, savory, and mineral elements of a great Jura wine or the wildly complex and textured nature of the white wines from López de Heredia, this is for you. It is an exceptionally rare white wine aged under a veil of flor. I would easily put this wine up against some of the best white wines in the world.
2024 Ribera del Duero Clarete, Picaro del Aguila - 12+ btls @ $75/btl
Not a rosé but a true clarete. It is a blend of Tempranillo and Albillo Mayor, along with thirty percent other white and red varieties from old vineyards. After 15 months of aging, the wine is bottled. This is super fresh and vibrant with a beautifully savory element.
2022 Ribera del Duero, Picaro Aguila Tinto - 12+ btls @ $45/btl
Dominio del Águila Tinto is a blend of Tempranillo with Albillo, Garnacha, Bobal, and other white varieties to provide freshness. This is a beautifully ripe and fruit-forward wine that is incredibly approachable in its youth.
2020 Ribera del Duero, Reserva - 12+ btls @ $100/btl
The Reserva is made from the oldest vines near the village of Aguilera. Here the vineyards are mainly Tempranillo, but like old vines the world over, other red and white varieties are mixed in. Rather than separate these grapes, Jorge feels that a true representation of these sites is best captured by co-fermenting them. This cuvée sees nearly three years in barrel, with half of that time spent just waiting for the malolactic fermentation to finish. This slow elevage results in a wine with remarkable poise and complexity. 97 points from The Wine Advocate.
2018 Ribera del Duero, Canta la Perdiz - 4 btls @ $425/btl ($382.50 with case discount)
Canta la Perdiz comes from a single vineyard located in the village of La Aguilera. This south-facing site is planted with ungrafted vines that date back well into the 19th century. For generations, this site has been maintained by replacing dead vines with cuttings from their immediate neighbors. The vineyard has unique soil made of pale sandy chalky limestone laid down in horizontal layers much like slate. Each vintage is labeled to reflect the growing conditions of that specific year. Blue signifies a cool vintage, fiery red for a warm one, and a more composed orange for a temperate growing season. 97 points from The Wine Advocate.
