This interesting young wine is a happy marriage of Monastrell with Syrah and Merlot. Lorenzo Gil, from Bodegas Luzon has a high opinion of Monastrell, saying that it 'means the same to Jumilla as Tempranillo does to Rioja. It's the character of the region'. We think he has a point. The wine has an intense cherry colour and powerful aromas of ripe red and black fruits. The taste is strong but, thanks to the influence of Merlot, still nice and fresh. An irresistible red to serve with a good meaty stew and especially good to keep at your elbow when there's a proper wood smoke barbecue in the offing.
A classic 50:50 blend here, with the boldness of Syrah melding beautifully with the mildness of Merlot. With 12 months in oak to its benefit, this is a very interesting wine, full of aromas of ripe fruits and with a sensational taste, as well as an intense cherry red colour. There are strong fruity aromas of plum, blackcurrant and jam, as well as a hint of coffee, making it the perfect accompaniment to a hearty roast (not to mention the cheese afterwards).
100% Syrah, this is intense, oily and full bodied, yet soft and velvety, with notes of mint and eucalyptus, spices and toffee. It's also benefited from a year's aging in French Allier oak barrels. Crop after crop, Spain is improving the standards of their Syrah wines and this one is possibly amongst the top ten Spanish Syrahs. Incidentally, this wine was named after the birth date of winemaker Jose Manuel Echeverria's daughter. 'Felices cumpleanos' (happy birthday) to her, and also, we hope, many happy returns to this wine, which makes a lovely birthday present in anyone's language.
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