This is Domaine Nico's top wine, and it comes from a small 1.1-hectare vineyard planted 1,500 meters above sea level, in the highest part of Gualtallary. The soils in this vineyard are rich in calcium carbonate, but it's compacted into a mixture of sand, calcium carbonate, and gravel that is locally known as "Indian cement." The wine has an austere character, with slight aromas of flowers and fruits, along with some earthy notes. But the palate is where all the fun is. The tannins are hard, the fruits are red, and the earthy notes succumb to the force of the acidity and those fruity flavors in a wine with tremendous verticality and tension. Our usual criticism of Domaine Nico's wines is that their aromas tend to seem overly evolved. This one falls somewhere between pure fruit and oxidative character, a good middle ground.
