| The
now legendary Pie Franco, a 100% Monastrell wine made
from vines planted in 1941 on un-grafted rootstock, is
another towering powerhouse that is loaded with soft fruit
and has an engaging silky finish. Casa Castillo also produces
limited quantities of a top-notch, well-balanced, sweet,
late harvest Moscatel de Grano Menudo.
Olivares makes the big, ripe Altos
de la Hoya Monastrell table wines from ungrafted old
vines. Their red table wines are intense and mineral-laced,
but still a bit rustic. However, it is their Monastrell-based
sweet wines that are some of the most exciting in the
emerging genre of Spanish dessert wines. Olivares can't
make these late harvest wines every year, but when they
do the results are superb.
Olivares Monastrell Dulce, made from low-yield, old
vines fruit, is a deep, black wine with currants and
exotic spices in the nose and rich, sweet blackberry,
coffee and chocolate flavors on the palate. The Olivares
Viejísimo 1930 is a very dry Fondillón,
an unusual, compelling rancio wine with a cornucopia
of flavors - coffee, tobacco, dates, dried citrus peel.
But these magnificent, once nearly extinct wines from
Murcia and Alicante are a subject deserving of an entire
article to themselves.
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| Jumilla Castle and Houses |
Another rising star winery in Jumilla is Finca
Omblancas Selección Especial, which
produces a soft, silky blend of 85% old vines monastrell
and 15% cabernet sauvignon.
Yet another one is Bodegas y Viñedos
de Murcia's Caracol Serrano, a very well regarded
blend of 50% monastrell, 30% syrah and 20% cabernet
sauvignon.
Much exported wines: Most of the better
wines of Jumilla are exported. Indeed, some bodegas
export 90% of their wines and new wineries like Hijos
de Juan Gil with their new brand, Wrongo Dongo, made
by an Australian winemaker, are almost entirely aimed
at the American market. Juan Gil and the Spanish dynamo
in the American market, Jorge Ordoñez of Fine
Estates From Spain, also produce the exorbitantly rated
and wildly overpriced Clio and El Nido, though fans
of Parkerista blockbusters with deep pockets may find
much to like in these polished, but niche market-targeted
wines.
About the author
 Gerry Dawes was awarded Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de Gastronomía (National Gastronomy Award) in 2003. He writes and speaks frequently on Spanish wine and gastronomy and leads gastronomy, wine and cultural tours to Spain. He was a finalist for the 2001 James Beard Foundation's Journalism Award for Best Magazine Writing on Wine.
Mr. Dawes is currently working on a reality television series on wine, gastronomy, culture and travel in Spain.
Gerry Dawes can be reached at gerrydawes@aol.com Alternate e-mails (use only if your e-mail to AOL is rejected): gerrydawes@optonline.net or gerrydawes@hotmail.com
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