Casa Castillo Monastrell 2021
Winemaker Notes
A good way to get a feel for the quality of a producer in Burgundy is to taste their Bourgogne Rouge and one gets the feeling that Jose Maria feels the same way. The Jumilla from Casa Castillo is made from younger vines sourced mainly from La Valle vineyard where the soils are silty and the grapes have more of a varietal expression than his rockier vineyards. Once labeled Monastrell José Maria has been incorporating increasing amounts of Garnacha into this wine so that now it is about 80% Monastrell with 20% Garnacha (varies by vintage). A sincere, pure and very fruity Monastrell.
The Roch family acquired the property in 1941. Julia Roch and her grandson, José Maria Vicente, have been recovering the artisanal origins of this estate, making significant strides in the integrity and quality of winemaking.
Famous for the robust and earthy, black-fruit dominated, Monastrell (known as Mourvedre in France), Jumilla is an arid and hot region in southeastern Spain. Its vine yields tend to be torturously low but this can create wines of exceptional intensity and flavor. Quality combined with accessible price points give the region great recognition on international markets far and wide.
The reds from Jumilla are heady and spicy, packed with fruit and show aromas of dried licorice and herbs. If you like Syrah, Grenache or Pinot noir, a red wine from Jumilla would be a perfect next choice!
Full of ripe fruit, and robust, earthy goodness, Mourvèdre is actually of Spanish provenance, where it still goes by the name Monastrell or Mataro. It is better associated however, with the Red Blends of the Rhône, namely Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Mourvèdre shines on its own in Bandol and is popular both as a single varietal wine in blends in the New World regions of Australia, California and Washington. Somm Secret—While Mourvèdre has been in California for many years, it didn’t gain momentum until the 1980s when a group of California winemakers inspired by the wines of the Rhône Valley finally began to renew a focus on it.