BODEGAS MENDOZA MERLOT MONASTRELL
Available from Pepe La Sal, Moraira approx 8·00€
Despite the fact that many Telitec clients live in the Alicante area we often tend to look at other areas of wine production when making our choices. Why?
Well, this is partly because in the supermarkets and wine shops there aren’t so many from which choose. Why?
So, in a first step to redress the balance the first Telitec Wine of the Month for 2017 is from the Alicante DOP, and indeed from one of its iconic bodegas – Bodegas Enrique Mendoza. Their Merlot/Monastrell blend is just one of a large range of wines, all of which really are representative of just how good Alicante wines can be.
French grape variety blends with the Spanish Monastrell in a lovely quite darkly coloured, soft, warming fruit orientated red wine. From the former there’s the faintest whiff of menthol on the nose, with the latter bringing a slight dark chocolate fragrance which, reappears on the palate as you swallow.
Both varieties are known for the plum fruit flavours, with Monastrell often having a stewed plums nose as well. If searching for other fruits when enjoying this wine, you may find some dark cherries loitering with intent and there’s a slight reference to some earthy undergrowth on the nose.
It’s not meant to be a complex, multilayered layered wine, its raison d’etre is simple pleasure! Drink it alone or with light and dark meat dishes as well as semi-curado Manchego cheese.
Enjoy!
Colin Harkness
International & National Wine Judge,
Writer, Broadcaster & Critic
Twitter @colinonwine
Facebook Colin Harkness
