On the heels of my previous post touting a set of new organic wines from Alicante, I’m delighted to announce that we’ve just procured another new Spanish release, this time from our friends at Bernard Magrez.  The latest offering is Luz del Palacio ($14.99) from the Jumilla DO (also southeastern Spain).  It’s a blend of 70% Monastrell and 30% Syrah hand-harvested from vines ranging from 20 to 80 years of age.

Jumilla is located in the heart of Castilla-La Mancha.  Rainfall is scarce here with less than 12 inches annually.  The best vineyards within the denominacion are those planted on primarily limestone-bearing soils with portions of sand and clay.  These soils ration the moisture and enable the vines to withstand the drought-like conditions.  Although the winters can be mild, it is quite hot in the summer (blazing hot in fact).  I can attest from a trip made to the region in 2011, that there is little shelter in the vineyards from the sun.  It is necessary to prudently maintain leaf canopy over the vines to prevent the grapes from getting sunburned.

Our new wine (now available at your local ABCFWS store location) is a full-bodied expression of Monastrell, a grape that goes under the aliases Mourvedre or Mataro in other wine places around the world, notably the Rhone and Provence in the south of France, parts of northern California and the Barossa Valley in Australia.  Monastrell is a thick-skilled varietal that readily lends structure and color to a wine.  It’s also relatively heart-healthy due to the polyphenols in those thick skins. 

Monastrell Vines in Jumilla

Luz del Palacio displays a deep violet color with aromas and flavors of black and red fruits with a hint of Syrah’s black pepper spice.  It’s a suitable wine for pairing with beef stew, roast chicken or something grilled like juicy skirt steak fajitas with all the fixings. 

Jim Greeley, SW Florida wine supervisor

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