Vino Español Bender Part II: 2004 Castaño Monastrell Yecla

I kept this young Monastrell in vitro an additional year before opening it last night and being greeted by inviting, concentrated dark fruit aromas. The complexity issue did not simply end at the fruit though, given the intense cocoa and spice nuances present. Yecla represents another intelligent value region should one examine the role of globalization and adoption of viticultural practices skewed towards the quality end of the spectrum. Much as Italy’s Puglia region has seen a surge in investment in the recent past, Spain’s southeastern Murcia and one of its largest D.O.’s within it, Yecla, have been marked by small coops and quality-driven investors who have been more than willing to integrate state-of-the-art winemaking technologies alongside green and limited yield farming practices. A continental Mediterranean climate combines nicely with limestone soils to nurture this dark, thick-skinned varietal that thrives on heat to naturally produce higher levels of alcohol and sugar.

These considerations however, beg the question I would love to be in Spain to help answer—in which previously ignored region will the next Monastrells or Mencías find near perfection?

Tasting notes:

A small note first. There are several consistently complex and inexpensive (sub-$10 range) examples of this varietal, some from Yecla, but many others from Jumilla, Alicante, Penedèdes and Valencia.

This Monastrell was a deep purple with some ruby tones in the glass. The nose displayed juicy plum, cassis, cocoa and gentle spice. Impressive balance was evident, with lovely blueberry and plum sweetness contrasting mocha and smoky cocoa flavors. Dark fruit, mocha and light-roasted coffee round out the finish.