Student Wine Review #1
Castillo de Jumilla
Monastrell/Tempranillo 50-50 mix
12 buxx -Trader Joe's
Well, I ended up not going to sleep last night (post-trial brief due @ 9:15 this morning and I had to grind it out) so I'm reviewing this as a lunchtime wine...even though it's 9:30 pm here in tha OC, I've only been up for a few hours.
Nose/bouquet/first impressions: wow, it's really reserved for a Monastrell blend. Monastrell for those who don't know is the same thing as Mourvedre (sorry frenchies i'm too lazy to type la accent grave over the e) which to me is a very overt grape. Mourvedre/Monastrell used to be real big in the Chateneuf-de-Pape area before the phyloxxera (sp?) insects feasted on mad amounts of French vines hundreds of years ago. The Monastrell/Mourvedre grape had no phyloxerra (sp?) resistant-strains available at the time, so most areas in CdeP got replanted with Grenache.
I love Mourvedre----get as much yellow label Garretson Paso Robles Mourvedre as you can find/afford---so i was looking forward to lots of leathery/chocolatee flava in this wine.
It's there, but not in the nose and initial palate attack---the Tempranillo really takes charge at the front of the mouth and in the bouquet. If I was trying to sound all cool I would call the initial experience 'elegant' or 'structured.' In other words: balanced, and with no off flavors, but subtle, which it is. The finish is where you get the hints of Monastrell- the plummy Tempranillo flavazz mix witht the chocolate and leathery action of the Monastrell.
It's sort of like going out to a club with one really crazy dude and two guys who have to work at 8 am: The early-to-rise cats provide good conversation at the bar but the one really crunk dude keeps things interesting.
Doesn't change or 'open up' as much as I'd expected, but it's only been an hour and I hadn't decanted the wine.
Good wine- would pair with milder (read not spicy) dishes as to not piss off the tempranillo in the blend or drown it out wit too much paprika or red pepper. The back of the label says 'pair with garlic.' IMO that may be a little much.
Monastrell/Tempranillo 50-50 mix
12 buxx -Trader Joe's
Well, I ended up not going to sleep last night (post-trial brief due @ 9:15 this morning and I had to grind it out) so I'm reviewing this as a lunchtime wine...even though it's 9:30 pm here in tha OC, I've only been up for a few hours.
Nose/bouquet/first impressions: wow, it's really reserved for a Monastrell blend. Monastrell for those who don't know is the same thing as Mourvedre (sorry frenchies i'm too lazy to type la accent grave over the e) which to me is a very overt grape. Mourvedre/Monastrell used to be real big in the Chateneuf-de-Pape area before the phyloxxera (sp?) insects feasted on mad amounts of French vines hundreds of years ago. The Monastrell/Mourvedre grape had no phyloxerra (sp?) resistant-strains available at the time, so most areas in CdeP got replanted with Grenache.
I love Mourvedre----get as much yellow label Garretson Paso Robles Mourvedre as you can find/afford---so i was looking forward to lots of leathery/chocolatee flava in this wine.
It's there, but not in the nose and initial palate attack---the Tempranillo really takes charge at the front of the mouth and in the bouquet. If I was trying to sound all cool I would call the initial experience 'elegant' or 'structured.' In other words: balanced, and with no off flavors, but subtle, which it is. The finish is where you get the hints of Monastrell- the plummy Tempranillo flavazz mix witht the chocolate and leathery action of the Monastrell.
It's sort of like going out to a club with one really crazy dude and two guys who have to work at 8 am: The early-to-rise cats provide good conversation at the bar but the one really crunk dude keeps things interesting.
Doesn't change or 'open up' as much as I'd expected, but it's only been an hour and I hadn't decanted the wine.
Good wine- would pair with milder (read not spicy) dishes as to not piss off the tempranillo in the blend or drown it out wit too much paprika or red pepper. The back of the label says 'pair with garlic.' IMO that may be a little much.
posted by struggleville staff at 9:11 PM
2 Comments:
good heavens, what?
Cool blog, interesting information... Keep it UP » »
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