Vitícola Mentridana Cantos del Diablo Mentrida DO 2020

100% Garnacha from a 0.35-hectare single vineyard of the Cantos del Diablo area in the town of El Real de San Vicente. The vines are over 70 years old and rooted in granite soils at 900 metres. I’m on a ride from the get-go here, with the wine’s strikingly translucent and glowing ruby colour bringing immediate visual impact. Consider my interest piqued. Bright spiced red cherry leaps from the glass before strawberry compote with captivating purity and finesse straight out of the gates. From there it’s an unfurling of deeper notes – kirsch, subtle dried cranberry, hints of black pepper and roast tomato umami, with beautiful spice box notes adding to the complexity. This is very exciting, and it’s yet to pass my lips. When it finally does, the palate is lithe and alive, immediately appealing on account of its balance and verve. Cranberry, macerated strawberry, pepper spice, and red cherry. The tannins are fine and controlled, though with a good amount of firmness and presence, lending the perfect frame through the palate. The acid then kicks late, bringing the freshness and further waves of length. There’s some Garnarcha heat, but it’s so seamlessly integrated. I’m wowed. This is a masterclass in balancing intensity and complexity with purity and finesse. An incredible wine.

Importer: Alimentaria

Tom Kline

Wine Critic at Winepilot

Tom Kline is a wine writer, reviewer, presenter, and educator based in Victoria, Australia. He is the Australian correspondent for the internationally respected publications Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy and Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux, where he highlights the top tier of Australian wine for a global audience. Tom also writes for leading outlets including Decanter (UK), Wine Spectator (US), and Halliday Magazine, among others. An experienced wine show judge and WSET educator, he has authored several consumer-focused wine courses aimed at making wine more accessible and engaging. In 2023, Tom was awarded Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column at the prestigious Wine Communicator Awards, presented by Wine Communicators of Australia.

Wine tasting and writing