It Starts With A Grape

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First and foremost, this wine needs to breath. Decant it, pour it a half hour before you drink it, or if you don’t have the time, pour it back and forth between two glasses a couple of times, just get some air on it.

This will reveal a bright nose of blueberries, ripe red, fresh off the vine raspberries, black pepper, and charcoal. This 100% Granacha is an almost electric hue of magenta, and even after vigorously aerating, this wine still bites (in a good way!). If you want to wake up your dormant taste buds this phenomenally robust red will do the trick! It delivers a spicy wave of flavors including cinnamon and tarragon, along with a wallop of tangy raspberry, and plenty of black pepper. If you could taste the smell of a smoldering campfire on a cool summer night, well, that’s the finish you will get from this Spanish firecracker. It makes me crave bacon and Gorgonzola atop grilled steak on a bed of sauteed spinach delicately seasoned with fresh garlic.

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Rolling in from Spain at the rock bottom price of $8.99 is this scrumptious Monastrell. Its deep plum in color, and its spicy dark nose is bursting with currant, jammy fruit, and black tea. Even though there’s an abundance of charred oak on the palate it remains smooth in your mouth. The cassis from the nose carries over well, accompanied by blackberry preserves, and a touch of raisin. If I could use just two words to sum this one up they would be dark and mysterious. The oaky finish is fairly dry with a surprising re-emergence of the aforementioned black tea lingering about. It pairs surprisingly well with fresh strawberries (a completely accidental find), really bringing out the fruit in the wine. It would also work well with a grilled steak seasoned liberally with black pepper in a berry glaze, sprinkled lightly with crumbled gorgonzola.

Because many people are still not familiar with this varietal (Monastrell) here’s a little info:

Monastrell also goes by the names Mourverde and Mataro. If you have ever heard the term GSM when someone was describing a wine, well its blend, and the ‘M’ stands for Mourverde, (the G and S are Grenache and Syrah). When its not being used in this popular blend, it produces big, deep, and sometimes earthy reds on its own, its also a favorite among winemakers for roses.

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My first reaction to this blend out of Spain was simply wow. It has an ultra fragrant nose, filled with spicy aromas of freshly cracked black pepper and clove, dried figs, warm oak, and just a hint of black olives. Add to that its beefy legs, and deep magenta hue, I couldn’t get the glass to my mouth fast enough. And oh what a mouthful…dried cherries, cassis, and oak dominate the palate.  Its got a pleasant bite to it, and notes of cinnamon and dark cocoa that sweep you away to its bone dry charred oak finish. Pair it with a creamy swiss for a mid day snack, or grilled spicy sausage and peppers for someting a little more substantial.

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The oak on this one is a bit overwhelming when you first open it and its a little rough around the edges, so let it breath for an hour or two befor drinking or serving it. That being said, the noes is full of deep dark aromas like charcoal, super toasty oak and casis. Acompanied by subtle notes of black olives, dried prunes, and fresh raspberries, its reminicent of a wood burning stove. Its a little on the tannic side, but not necessarily in a bad way if you like that sort of thing. I think it works well with the rustic, charred sort of flavors, and theres just a nuance of blueberries, right befor its smokey oak finish. It would be great with a hearty beef stew, just throw a cup in while its cooking to add a whole new layer of flavor.

So the title of this one is a little confusing, the type of white wine is an Albarina, also known as Albarino. That being said, this Spanish beauty opens up with a complex bouquet of oak, and hints of hunny ; with mostly grassy notes accompanied by a nice lemony citrus, which compliment the strong oak. Its a medium bodied wine, and a substantial amount of oak transfers over to the palate, which is perfectly balanced out by the ample, but not overpowering, citrus. There are hints of tart pineapple and other tropical fruits. This is definitely an interesting wine, but it remains easily approachable. Rosemary chicken would be a lovely pairing.

Hailing from Spain, deserving of its name, comes this bold blend of tempranillo and Shiraz. Ready to eat ripe black cherry will be the first thing to tantalize your senses. Followed by plenty of oak, which creates a really nice balance with the fruit, and fresh ground black pepper, that is sure to send shock waves through your taste buds even before your first sip. Rest assured this wine’s bark does not exceed its bite, you get a mouth full of ripe fruit, and perfect tannin structure. I would have liked to see a lengthier finish, however it is crisp and mouthwatering leaving you wanting more. Paired with such foods as bacon wrapped shrimp, or peppercorn steak, this wine will truly shine. Not quite ready for dinner, pair it with an aged Gorgonzola.