El Grillo y La Luna (‘The Cricket and The Moon’) is a family business which was born in Barbastro in 2007 with the aim of creating wines with soul and a unique character. “Patience” is the byword at this winery, we wait for the optimum ripeness of each grape variety in each plot. At El Grillo y La Luna, good things come to those who wait. Because we believe that good wine starts in the vineyards, our wines are produced in an unhurried fashion, respecting the uniqueness of each vintage as much as possible, and are only released for sale when they are ready. It is undoubtedly their ageing that sets the wines from this Somontano winery apart. With 53 hectares of vines, this is one of the smallest wineries in this D.O in the Aragon region. Here the entire crop is harvested and selected by hand. The date of the harvest is not laid down by regulations, but determined by going out into the vineyards and tasting the grapes. Thus, with love, serenity and determination, we obtain wines with body, freshness and balance, exceptional wines in which the terroir and grape variety achieve their finest expression.
12 Lunas – Red
D.O. Somontano
WINE MAKING NOTES
When the Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Tempranillo grapes reach optimum ripeness, they are harvested and fermented in stainless steel tanks at a temperature that fluctuates between 25º and 29ºC. The grapes are then macerated for 2 to 4 weeks depending on the variety while the malolactic fermentation takes place. Once this has finished, the wines are placed in second-and-third use 225 l French oak barrels. The length of time in the barrel depends on the variety and the vintage. The average aging time is 9 months.
Once the aging process has finished, the different varieties are blended and left to clarify naturally through gravity to give the wine a glossy finish before bottling.
TASTING NOTES
Wine with an intense cherry red color and violet rims. It has a fresh, intense nose with notes of ripe red fruit, it has a mellow feel on the palate, and is full-bodied thanks to the round and velvety tannins. At mid-palate it is soft and fresh with a long after-taste as the red fruit flavors mix with the toasted accents of its 9 months aging in a French oak barrel.
Vintage: 2018
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Tempranillo
Alc: 14%
Region: D.O. Somontano
Soil: Slate/Quantize with high mineral conetnt
Wine Maker: El Grillo y La Luna
Production: 75,000 Bottles
12 Lunas – White
D.O. Somontano
WINE MAKING NOTES
The Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer grapes are harvested separately once they have reached optimum ripeness. When they reach the winery they are lightly crushed and softly pressed. The must is left to clarify by gravity for 48 hours to remove the thick lees and seeds to avoid an herbaceous aroma. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 14ºC to 17ºC for approximately two weeks. Once the fermentation has finished we will blend both varieties and age them on the lees for 4 months in stainless steel tanks at 12ºC. One month before bottling we stop the weekly batonnage and leave the wine to clarify by gravity.
TASTING NOTES
The combination of the Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer varieties make the 12 Lunas a very elegant white wine. A lemon-yellow colour with intense aromas and peach syrup and pineapple notes. On the palate it is silky, oily, fresh, very perfumed and full-bodied.
Vintage: 2020
Wine Type: White
Varietal: Chardonnay 90%, Gewürztraminer 10%
Alc: 14%
Region: D.O. Somontano
Soil: Slate/Quantize with high mineral content
Wine Maker: El Grillo y La Luna
Production: 11,000 Bottles
12 Lunas – Rose
D.O. Somontano
WINE MAKING NOTES
Our rosé wine is made from the free run of Syrah grape must extracted from crushed grapes that have had 24 hour contact with the skins. Subsequently, it is clarified by gravity for 2 days and progressively included in the continuous fermentation process which is kept at 15ºC for a month. Once the fermentation has finished, it is racked to separate the thick lees and then aged on fine lees in stainless steel tanks. The lees are stirred by hand in order to preserve the natural CO2 created in the fermentation process which gives the wine its freshness. Two weeks before bottling the batonnage is stopped to let the wine clarify statically.
TASTING NOTES
A raspberry colored with the violet hues of the Syrah grape. It has a fresh nose with red fruit aromas and hints of cherry, with a pleasant touch of sweets. It has an intense, fruity palate and a long after-taste. Its natural sharpness gives it freshness and makes it long-lasting. It is a rounded wine.
Vintage: 2020
Wine Type: Rose
Varietal: 100% Syrah
Alc: 14%
Region: D.O. Somontano
Soil: Slate/Quantize with high mineral content
Wine Maker: El Grillo y La Luna
Production: 7,800 Bottles
Hop Hop
D.O. Somontano
WINE MAKING NOTES
Manually harvested in 12 kg crates. Once in the winery, the grapes ae put in cold storage until they reach a temperature of 4C. The grapes are de-stemmed then put through a double manual selection process. The grapes are placed in French Oak to start the fermentation and the maceration in cold during 5 days at 10C to extract the color and aromatic compounds. Once the fermentation process has finished, the wine is stays in contact with the pulp for a further 30 days to ensure a round, soft flavor thanks to the lees, skins and the wood of the barrel itself. The malolactic fermentation is done in 225 liters French oak barrels. During the first 5 months, each barrel is turned twice a week in order to move the lees around to give the wine a rounder and softer palate. The wine rest in barrels for 8 months before bottling.
TASTING NOTES
Intense cherry red wine. Nose with intense aromas of red mature and expressive fruits, balsamic notes on bottom of very integrated wood from the upbringing in new wood of French Oak. On the palate it turns out to be a wine with structure, very expressive with velvet tannings and personality. With a long and persistent end. Balsamic aromas and red mature fruits stand out.
Vintage: 2017
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: 50% Syrah, 50% Grenache
Alc: 14,5%
Region: D.O. Somontano
Soil: Slate/Quantize with high mineral content
Wine Maker: El Grillo y La Luna
Production: 8,700 Bottles
All of the wines at Cardel Wines are carefully chosen for the natural,
organic properties and unique tasting notes.
If you are interested in setting up a tasting of our
Spanish wine portfolio please get in touch.
We look forward to serving you!
