Winemaker Notes
In addition to the predictable array of roasted and grilled red meats, the ripeness of Monastrell with the spice of Syrah will make this wine pair even better with grilled or roasted pork tenderloin, pork chops and Tandoori chicken or veal. For a more unusual pairing, try this wine with the finest corned beef or pastrami-on-rye sandwich you can find and don't forget the half-sour pickle.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An attractive, smooth and rich red with plenty of spice-dusted dark berries, as well as a swathe of fine, juicy tannins. Plums and blueberries abound. From organically grown grapes. Drink through the next 5 years.
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.