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Saturday, July 16, 2011

Spanish wines from Jumilla are on the rise

Spanish red wines have long been favorites, but until recently, we limited our selections to wines from the fantastic Rioja region or to those of Ribera del Duero in north central Spain.  Having the chance to run Pangaea Wine Bar, we've had the opportunity to try wines from areas all around Spain.  While we love the powerful wines of Priorat in Catalonia, they tend to be a bit pricy for our by-the-glass list.  So for that reason, we were very happy to be introduced to the full-bodied red wines of Jumilla (who-MEE-uh).

Jumilla is a hot, arid region in the southeastern area of Spain.  The predominant grape of the region is Monastrell, or as it is commonly known in France and the US, Mourvedre.  Monastrell has typically been resistant to the phylloxera louse that decimated nearly all European grapevines through the late 19th century, and therefore many of the grapevines are very old - producing intensely concentrated wines.  The wines of Jumilla are still being introduced to the US market, but based on the flavor profiles, these wines should become hugely popular here.  Jumilla's climate, with its hot, dry summers and over 3000 hours of sunlight, produce smooth wines that are naturally high in alcohol, which we're finding is currently the taste of the American palate.

100+ year old Monastrell vine at Bodegas Olivares
Last year, we introduced the wine of Bodegas Juan Gil to our customers, and this monastrell was a huge hit at Pangaea.  In June, despite the popularity of Juan Gil, we decided to try a little something different and brought on the monastrell of Bodegas Olivares.  This wine is a bit unique even among Jumilla monastrell: Olivares' sandy soil drains very quickly, which makes it much more inhospitable to the phylloxera louse.  Therefore, Olivares has a large tract of ungrafted vines, some of them over 100 years old.  Vines as old as this tend to have a lower yield, producing fewer grapes, but the grapes they do produce have a greater depth and complexity than their younger counterparts.   In addition, the vineyards at Olivares are dry-farmed, with little to no irrigation.  This requires that the vines dig deeply to find nutrients, adding an additional layer of complexity.

We are finding that our Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell is an excellent wine and a big hit with our customers.  We encourage you to check it out - and don't be afraid to pick up some wines from areas that you're not familiar with.  You will likely be pleasantly surprised!

As always, drink what you like, and like what you drink!