Mad Dogs & Englishmen Cabernet Shiraz Monastrell 2005

This wine is made from a combination of the most widely planted local grape variety called Monastrell (50%); barrel aged Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Shiraz (30%). Monastrell is a sexy grape that originated in the South of France but has flourished in this region of Spain, South East of Madrid, due to the warm weather that fosters the late ripening period of this particular varietal. 2003 was hot as hell in Jumilla, the hottest on record in fact. The harvest was moved up by 15 days to accommodate for the weather, also breaking records. The result is a wonderfully ripe, high quality wine that proudly represents this emerging growing area in Spain. The Monastrell grape brings raspberry, loganberry and mulberry flavors to the palate while the Shiraz carries white pepper notes. The Cabernet provides the backbone to the wine with a soft, round mouth feel and a sweet mid-palate.