Cepas Viejas Monastrell 2014
Monastrell is one of Spain's great grapes -just ask those in France who, as is their wont, call it Mourvedre. Mourvedre is behind the great French wines of Bandol and it lends floral, primary and earthen notes to the Chateauneuf-de-Papes and the Cotes-du-Rhone. At home in Spain however, Monastrell is more than second chair violin. In warm regions Jumilla [hoo-MEE-ya] in particular, Spain's Monastrell ripens to full flavoured varietal wines with blue and black berry fruit aromas, a touch of spice, often hints of earth and hackberries. It speaks of vines grown in a desert where deep reds are de rigueur and dusty tannins are polished to lend deep structure to thoroughly ripened fruit.