The family-owned winery in Barbastro, part of the Somontano PDO, has launched a limited edition of 10,000 bottles of Grillo, a vintage distinguished by its freshness, smoothness, and elegance. The Aragon-based company exports 45 percent of its production to international markets.
Bodegas El Grillo y la Luna, located in Barbastro, Huesca, has unveiled the 2018 vintage of Grillo, its most iconic and award-winning wine. The new release comes to market with production limited to 10,000 bottles, made from 7,500 liters of wine, making it the most exclusive vintage yet of this Somontano Protected Designation of Origin benchmark.
The winery, owned by the Calvo family, is adding a new harvest to the track record of one of its best-known wines. The 2018 vintage replaces the 2017 release, which earned strong reviews from international critics, including 92 points from British Master of Wine Tim Atkin and 90 points from U.S. critic James Suckling.
A vintage defined by elegance and smoothness
The defining feature of Grillo 2018, according to its makers, is its fresher, more elegant profile compared with previous vintages. Alberto Santiago, technical director at Bodegas El Grillo y la Luna, particularly highlights the wine’s evolution on the palate and the balance achieved in this new release.
«It is a fresher and more elegant wine than the 2017 and 2016. I tasted it this week and it surprised me enormously. It has extraordinary smoothness and elegance,» Santiago says, adding that he considers it the most elegant vintage the winery has produced to date.
The technical director also emphasizes its length on the palate and the texture of its tannins, which he describes as «very silky and fleshy.» These qualities are complemented by the limited nature of the production, a factor that sets the 2018 release apart in Grillo’s history.
The wine is produced under the technical direction of Alberto Santiago, with advice from Mikael Laizet.
Somontano, with a presence in international markets
The launch of Grillo 2018 comes amid significant export activity for Bodegas El Grillo y la Luna. Currently, 45 percent of its production is sold in overseas markets, with Mexico, Switzerland, Peru, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom among its main international destinations.
This commercial presence reflects the international reach of an Aragon family winery that has succeeded in placing its wines in markets across Europe and the Americas. Recognition earned by earlier Grillo vintages has also helped raise its profile among international industry professionals and consumers.
To coincide with the presentation of the new vintage, the winery has also launched the special «Love Grillo» pack, comprising three bottles of the 2018 vintage at a promotional price.
With this new release, Bodegas El Grillo y la Luna continues to develop its winemaking proposition from Barbastro, combining limited production of its flagship wine with a commercial strategy that keeps a significant share of its sales outside Spain.
