El Escoces Volante, El Cismatico Old Vine Garnacha Vino de Espana 2020

96 points James Suckling
"Attractive aromas of ripe cherries, wild raspberries, hints of licorice, dried flowers, blood orange and bitter chocolate. Medium- to full-bodied with vivid acidity that adds a lot of freshness and tension with orange peel and spice undertones. Very pure and pristine. A little chewy at the end with peppery notes to it. Chalky, mineral sensation in the finish. 100% garnacha. 20% whole bunch. Plantings between 1937 and 1942. Drink or hold."

95 points Wine Advocate
"The 2020 El Cismático comes from their two plots in Armantes in Cervera de la Cañada that were planted between 1937 and 1942, and the wine has more effect from the limestone and whiter soils. In search of a more age-worthy wine, it matured in used barrels, and it has less effect from the oak, with increased finesse and fruit. Tasting this next to the 2021 had a similar effect as in the other wines where I tasted the 2020 and 2021 together—the effect of the vintage is more noticeable and even increased as the wines sat in the glass, opened up and got a little warmer too. It has fine tannins and a nice grip. It improved with time in the glass, developing more nuance and finesse and also a good sign about its aging capacity. 3,733 bottles were filled in December 2022."

95 points Decanter
"An intense and complex wine reflecting its old vine provenance from a single site above Cervera de la Cañada. Spending 13 months in old, 500-litre French oak then a further eight months in cement, the structure of this Garnacha is reminiscent of top Châteauneuf-du-Pape but with a distinctly Calatayud character. Fresh garrigue aromas and dark fruit; deep and concentrated with a peppery finish. Will develop further."

Jancis Robinson
"Garnacha. Deep healthy garnet. Lots to enjoy here. There is real savour and sap – much more than just sweet Garnacha fruit. Energy. Leaps out of the glass and wags its tail at you. Good balance for current drinking. 17/20 points."

Vinous Reverie Notes
Nobody in history has done more than Master of Wine Norrel Robertson to showcase the dynamic terroir of Catalayud, although ironically you'll seldom see the Catalayud DO marked on his bottles, as Norrel feels that some of the current (backward) regulations there hamper his overall creative mission Unlike what you sometimes see in many other same-varietal lineups from this very warm and dusty region, El Cismatico is ridiculously dynamic in terms of the visual, aromatic and textural composition.