Enrique Mendoza Finca Xaconero 2022
The rise of Monastrell and Mediterranean wines
All regions have wineries that are pioneers in producing quality wines: the D.O. Alicante’s is Enrique Mendoza. Today this firm is a benchmark for the entire Mediterranean coast. In Villena it owns 80 hectares of vineyards on an exceptional estate: Finca El Chaconero, which produces Enrique Mendoza Finca Xaconero 2022, a red wine classified as a 'Vino de Paraje' – an indication of its link with the terroir – and made using traditional methods. An excellent choice for enjoying the distinctive character of the D.O. Alicante and its leading grape variety: Monastrell.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Monastrell
Type of bottle
Bordeaux
Capacity (cl)
75
Alcohol content (% vol.)
14
General Information
Enrique Mendoza Finca Zaconero 2022 is designed from selected vineyards on the Finca El Chaconero estate in the place called ‘Cabezo de la Virgen’. It’s made exclusively from grapes grown on gobelet-trained Monastrell vines, the leading variety in the area. To preserve all the fresh fruit flavours of the Monastrell variety, the grapes were picked by hand in crates, destemmed and transferred whole to small stainless steel vats, where they were fermented.
Back in the late 1980, Spanish Mediterranean vineyards focused on producing disproportionately large amounts of grapes, mainly for bulk wine and red wines used to add colour and alcohol content to wines from other European regions. Luckily, in 1989 a winery with the attitude and the energy needed to break away from these practices was founded in Alfaz del Pi: Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, in Marina Alta (D.O. Alicante), which soon expanded its operations to a second winery in Villena, where it brought together 80 hectares of vineyards on an exceptional estate, Finca El Chaconero.
Finca El Chaconero is documented as being used for grape growing since the 1500s. Its traditional name – literally meaning ‘lands of the January puddle’ – comes from the heavy rain that used to fall in September and October, leaving the ground flooded until January. The estate is home to 80 hectares of vines, chiefly Monastrell, that grow in different types of soils (pebbly, sandy-loam and sandy) – a real luxury for winemakers.
Enrique Mendoza Finca Xaconero 2022 (D.O. Alicante) is a vegan-certified red wine.
Creators' opinion
Ruby-red with garnet glints, medium intensity. Fresh aromas of red fruit and hints of woodland, broom, lavender and rosemary, ending with aromas of spice, toast and coffee. Fresh and balanced attack, with sweet, pleasant tannins and medium-length, harmonious mid-palate with hints of red fruit and spices carrying through. .
The winery
Bodegas Enrique Mendoza is a family-owned winery founded in 1989 and based in the town of Alfaz del Pi, in Alicante. The seed of the winery was "planted" in the late 1970s by Enrique Mendoza, a viticulturist passionate about enology, who decided to continue the tradition of the Marina Baixa region of producing wine for family consumption.
Today, the project has become well-established, and Bodegas Enrique Mendoza boasts 84.5 hectares of vineyards. The winery prides itself on being a pioneer in the region for introducing renowned international varieties such as the white chardonnay and the red cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot, petit verdot, and syrah, while also championing local varieties like monastrell, the queen grape of the D.O. Vinos Alicante, and moscatel.
The winery's philosophy is rooted in respect for the vineyard and the environment, practicing a herbicide- and insecticide-free viticulture with precise care, resulting in wines full of nuances.
Today, the project has become well-established, and Bodegas Enrique Mendoza boasts 84.5 hectares of vineyards. The winery prides itself on being a pioneer in the region for introducing renowned international varieties such as the white chardonnay and the red cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot, petit verdot, and syrah, while also championing local varieties like monastrell, the queen grape of the D.O. Vinos Alicante, and moscatel.
The winery's philosophy is rooted in respect for the vineyard and the environment, practicing a herbicide- and insecticide-free viticulture with precise care, resulting in wines full of nuances.