Again, Post Road Liquors is hooking up the intros! This week, we’re meeting a new Spanish grape called Monastrell in the form of the 2016 Casa Castillo Monastrell.
***Don’t forget, head into any of the four wine and liquor store outposts and receive 20% off the weekly wine picks!***
2016 Casa Castillo Monastrell
COST – $12.00- $20.00
GRAPE – Monastrell, with a smidge of Garnacha and Syrah
COUNTRY – Spain
REGION – Jumilla
TASTING NOTES – A pleasant red with a wild edge: floral (roses) and bramble aromas on the nose over a background of red and black fruit. Fresh, slightly earthy palate with grainy tannins; good rusticity and very pleasant to drink. Great value.
TALES FROM A TASTING
Most people do their reorganizing/cleaning in the spring. I usually get the urge to tackle the mess at the close of summer. I get a little more focused – maybe it’s a habit ingrained in me from “going back to school” every September for half of my life. Anyhow.
I took my bottle of 2016 Casa Castillo Monastrell into my bedroom while I reassessed what clothes to keep/toss. Red wine and piles of clothes – sounds like fun- right? At least part of it is.
If I have ever had a Monastrell wine, I didn’t know it. Also known as Mourvèdre in France and Mataró near Barcelona, Spain, it is a Spanish wine that when held in a glass shows off a sparkling deep and dark red hue. (Much like all of my deep burgundy clothes that are total keepers for the fall.)
Upon the first sip, I nodded my head in agreement with Post Road Liquors recommendation. To me, there was a subtle jammy and spiciness to it. And then something else. I enjoyed a little more. Ah, tannins! Beautiful and mouth-texturizing tannins.
It wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t understand what a tannin even was. For the longest time, I just thought it was some mysterious part of red wine that might give you a headache if you have too much. Alas, as with any alcoholic drink, what really gives a headache is the quantity consumed. 😉
Tannins are a compilation of micronutrients called polyphenols. These little polyphenols are tucked inside of the skin, seeds, and stems of the grape. The longer they sit in contact with the juice the more they become part of the wine and the more tannic the wine becomes.
These polyphenols are where red wine gets its much-touted health benefit of antioxidants. Those antioxidants also act as a preservative, which is why red wine can stay in a bottle for 50 years!
How do you know if a wine is tannic? The age-old trick is to take a cold wet black tea bag and stick it on your tongue. Do you know that slightly bitter and drying feel it leaves on your tongue? That is what tannin taste like! (Black tea is very high in tannins, and of course antioxidants as well.)
Back to our beautiful and newly introduced 2016 Casa Castillo Monastrell – this is a very tannic wine. I loved it! The juiciness of the fruit and dryness of the tannins were so well balanced. The glass was my perfect companion while sitting on my bedroom floor, with slightly cooler air coming through my window and a little Simon & Garfunkle in the background. I will undoubtedly snag a bottle of this wine again. Only next time, I’ll be in cozy clothes, in an organized house, and in front of a fire with some cheese. Cheers!
MENTION THE HAUTE LIFE AT ANY ONE OF THE FOUR STORES AND RECEIVE 20% OFF ANY OF THE WEEKLY WINE PICKS!!!!
Thank you to Post Road Liquors, 44 Boston Post Road Wayland, MA, for recommending this tannic experience, as well as their expertise!
Stop in to experience the first class service and selection. You can also find the same excellent services at their other locations, as follows:
Upper Falls Liquors
150 Needham Street
Newton, MA 02462
(617) 969-9200
Needham Wine & Spirits
1257 Highland Avenue
Needham, MA 02492
(781) 449-1171
Auburndale Wine & Spirit
2102 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466
(617) 244-2772
