Monastrell from Alicante, Spain.
SRP of $14 and available for as low as $10. Sample received courtesy Winebow for review purposes.
From the bottle:
"The Alicante D.O. is one of the oldest ones in Spain and wine has been made in this area for over 4500 years. The vineyard used for "La Tremenda", is situated 600m above the level of the sea, this together with the Mediterranean sun, gives the wine a medium-high ruby colour, combined with aromas of red fruits such as: cherries, strawberries, herbs like: rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and also balsamic aromas like eucalyptus and menthol. Our Ecological Agriculture (no insecticides or herbicides), helps us achieve a round and mouth filling wine, that brings back the memory of soil and black rocks with a fresh and spicy end to it.
14.5% Alcohol"
Monastrell is the Spanish name for Mourvèdre, a grape most commonly seen in Rhone style blends. This variety, which is usually high in tannins and alcohol, is quite popular in areas of Spain as a single varietal. And winemaking has quite a history in Spain; in fact, wine was introduced to the area of today's wine (Catalonia) by the Phoenicians in 500 BC. With that much experience making wine they must be quite good at it, right? Let's find out.
The 2008 Enrique Mendoza La Tremenda Monastrell has a strong and savory bouquet of mixed red and black fruit, lots of dried herbs and a dash of leather. Tasting the wine reveals jammy mixed berries, dried herbs, and some good prominent tannins. (Prominent, but not overdone by any means.) This is a very good, rich wine with some savory smoky notes. The finish is long, dry and spicy with a bit of mocha, some earthiness and a little dark berry. Viva la Monastrell!
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.3
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