There is a change in the air at Hacienda Monasterio under winemaker Peter Sisseck who has declared the era of high alcohol over. The chalky soils where the vineyards of Hacienda Monasterio are located have no difficulty making powerful wines but harnessing the terroir to make balanced wines requires a tremendous effort in the vineyard to match the yields to the vintage. Organic farming and a strict selection of fruit in each vintage certainly helps, and in the cellar Peter has started employing increasingly higher proportions of stems, is moving towards a more gentle maceration, and is employing more larger and more seasoned French oak barrels. The cuv?e formerly known as Crianza is a blend of primarily Tempranillo with about 10-15% Cabernet Sauvignon and smaller portions of Merlot and Malbec.