Variety: Albillo Real

4 Monos means “4 monkeys” and refers to four friends and lovers of wine native to the region of Madrid. This “gang of four” assembled in an extraordinary manner, while hiking in the Gredos mountains. This is a landscape that is a meeting of Mediterranean and Alpine; the region is often deemed magical for its beauty and diversity. The 4 Monos, with various backgrounds, have a unified mentality: organic wine practice, minimalism in the cellar, a focus on the land and variances in terroir. While the friends only founded 4 Monos in 2009, they are bringing the potential of the Gredos terroir to the world’s attention.

Albillo is mostly grown in the Gredos Mountains just west of Madrid. This is sourced from three different sites with old vines. After whole cluster fermentation, and 18 hours of skin contact, it’s aged in used French oak barrels for nine months. This age worthy white spends another 19 months in bottle before its release.