Winemaker Notes
Monastrell is perfectly suited to Yecla, in Murcia, where it reaches its apex. And it happens to be where Nabuko is produced. The other half of this equation is the noble Syrah, the grape with the longest charted history of all the noble varieties. It adds body and structure. Both grapes are very well adapted to the Mediterranean and thrive in this sunny, high altitude, arid climate. Yecla's altitude, at nearly 2, 400 ft, coupled with temperate Mediterranean Sea breezes, brings cooler night temperatures, giving this wine great freshness.
Nabuko's blend delivers a one two punch with the deep flavors and complex aromatics. In the nose, your initial impression is….northern rhone and then pleasant ripe fruit aromas suddenly appear. Its nice and round in the mouth, making for a very flavorful wine. Only 2,000 cases made for the world.
Try Nabuko with steak frites or as they call it where I'm from steak and potatoes.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Nabuko is a blend of 50% Monastell and 50% Syrah aged for three months in French oak. Purple-colored, the aromatics feature fragrant blueberries and blackberry. This is followed by a chewy, layered wine with spicy blue and black fruits and mineral notes making an appearance. Long and rich, this tasty, balanced effort can be enjoyed over the next 4-5 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.