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ArtadiAlicante

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Vintage
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TECH SHEET

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Vintage
Country
SpainSpain
Region
Alicante
Type
Red
Producer
Artadi
Winemaker
Juan Carlos López de Lacalle / Jean-Francois Gadeau
Grapes
Monastrell100%
Alcohol
16.5% vol.
Bottle
750 ml

Wine profile

Red

Body
Tannin
Acidity
Alcohol16.5% vol
Intensity

Tap or hover a scale

Wine profile · Red

Body

Level 5 of 5 — Full and dense – like double cream

Above typical (3.8) · Typical: average of 711 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Body is the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth. It comes mainly from alcohol, extract (everything dissolved apart from water), glycerol and, in sweet wines, sugar.

Where you feel it

Across the whole tongue: how much the wine fills your mouth. Think skimmed milk, whole milk and cream.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

There is no single number for body. Labs measure dry extract (many wines are between 18 and 30 g/L) and alcohol, which WSET says has the biggest effect on body. Our scale rates the weight in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Light: fluid and delicate
  2. 2Medium−: light-ish
  3. 3Medium: rounded
  4. 4Medium+: broad
  5. 5Full: dense and rich This wine

In practice, for this wine

For intense dishes: oven roasts, game, stews, strong cheese. A large glass helps it open.

Wine profile · Red

Tannin

Level 5 of 5 — Robust and grainy – dries the mouth and wants food

Above typical (3.2) · Typical: average of 708 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Tannins come from grape skins, seeds and oak. They give red wines structure and ageing potential, and soften with time.

Where you feel it

On your gums, inside your cheeks and on your teeth: that rough, drying feel, like after strong black tea.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

Labs measure total polyphenols (the TPI index), but that figure is rarely published. Our scale rates the amount and texture of the tannins in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: silky
  2. 2Medium−: soft
  3. 3Medium: present
  4. 4Medium+: firm
  5. 5High: robust This wine

In practice, for this wine

Wants meat, game or aged cheese. Decant and give it time in the glass, or keep it a few more years.

Wine profile · Red

Acidity

Level 2 of 5 — Gentle, quietly fresh – like melon

Below typical (3.6) · Typical: average of 702 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Acidity is the wine's freshness: it gives energy, makes your mouth water and helps the wine age. Too little and it tastes flat; too much and it feels sharp.

Where you feel it

On the sides of your tongue, and in how much your mouth waters after you swallow. The more you salivate, the higher the acidity.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

Labs measure total acidity (grams of tartaric acid per litre; most wines sit between 4.5 and 8 g/L) and pH (usually 3.0 to 3.8; the lower, the more acidic). Our scale turns that into how it feels in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: soft, little freshness
  2. 2Medium−: gentle This wine
  3. 3Medium: fresh and balanced
  4. 4Medium+: lively, mouth-watering
  5. 5High: crisp, racy

In practice, for this wine

Good with white meat, creamy pasta and buttery cheeses. Serve cool, not icy.

Wine profile · Red

Alcohol 16.5% vol

Level 5 of 5 — Warm and intense – a lingering heat

Above typical (4.2) · Typical: average of 716 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Alcohol is made when yeast ferments the grape's sugar. It brings warmth, adds to the body and carries the aromas.

Where you feel it

As warmth in your throat and chest when you swallow, and a slight burn on the nose when it is high.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the alcohol stated on the label — On the label: 16.5% vol.

It is the one axis that is always measured: it comes from the % vol on the label. Still and sparkling wines: under 11% = 1, up to 12.4% = 2, up to 13.4% = 3, up to 14.4% = 4, 14.5% or more = 5. Fortified wines (Port, Madeira…) have their own scale: under 16.5% = 2, up to 18.4% = 3, up to 19.9% = 4, 20% or more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: under 11% vol
  2. 2Medium−: 11–12.4% vol
  3. 3Medium: 12.5–13.4% vol
  4. 4Medium+: 13.5–14.4% vol
  5. 5High: 14.5% vol or more This wine

In practice, for this wine

Wants rich dishes, served a little cooler to tame the heat. Small glasses, no rush.

Wine profile · Red

Intensity

Level 5 of 5 — Pronounced – fills the glass with aroma

Above typical (3.9) · Typical: average of 84 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Aromatic intensity is how strongly the aromas come through: fruit, flowers, spice, oak, notes of age.

Where you feel it

On the nose, before you sip: how strongly the aromas rise from the glass. Swirling releases them.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

It is a sensory judgement, with no lab figure. We only show it when the wine's description or a review mentions it.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Subtle: you have to look for it
  2. 2Delicate
  3. 3Medium: clear aromas
  4. 4Expressive
  5. 5Pronounced: fills the glass This wine

In practice, for this wine

Matches aroma-rich cooking; a wide glass shows it off.

Critics & awards

Serve & enjoy

Temperature 16–18 °CIf the room is above 20 °C, 15 min in the fridge
GlassBordeaux glass
Open ahead 15 min · No decanting

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Pairings, alternatives and advice in seconds

Description

El Sequé Dulce is a fortified sweet red made by the prestigious Artadi (through its El Sequé estate) in Alicante, Spain. Made entirely from Monastrell, it's a modern take on Alicante's traditional sweet wines, similar in style to a Port.

The Wine AdvocateRP 94Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

The 2016 El Sequé Dulce is a fortified sweet Monastrell made in a style similar to Vintage Port. It was fortified to only 16.5% alcohol (they started in 2010 at around 18%, and the alcohol has been gradually lowered) and kept around 85 grams of sugar, as they don't want a very heavy wine. In fact, it's very aromatic and floral, with very good freshness. The grapes were picked very ripe (but not overripe). It's tannic, but not too much, and sweet, but not excessively, and quite elegant for the style. I'm curious to see how this wine develops in bottle, as the older vintages are still too young. This is probably the freshest vintage of this wine. 2,500 bottles were filled in December 2018.

El Sequé is Artadi's winery in Alicante. I tasted these wines as part of their portfolio, despite having published them before, but I've included them here again for context and completeness. Here they work exclusively with Monastrell, from which they make reds and fortified wines.

What to serve with this wine

Dishes calculated from this wine’s profile, grapes and region.