I’ve been wanting to bring you a Mourvedre- it’s rarely bottled on its own here in California and seldom is the majority of a blend. But in its native Spain it shows up in all kinds of ways- as the star, as the dominant grape in a blend and as a way to heft up any red blend. This one is 75% Monastrall (its Spanish name) and 25% Syrah. Monastrall is the 2^nd-most planted grape in Spain. The elevation where this one grows helps to make it brighter and more aromatic than the brooders we are used to in California. It’s native to Spain, but more popularly known for its inclusion in the Chateauneuf du Pape blend of the Southern Rhone.

Nose: black and blue fruits, cola, vanilla, potpourri

Palette: sour cherry, blueberry, vanilla, spice cake, smoke

Pairing: grilled pork tenderloin, Tandoori chicken, corned beef or pastrami sandwiches. Cheeses: Blues, Reblochon

The Candela family started Señorío de  Barahonda in 1925 in the Yecia appellation of the Murica region, near Valencia in Southeast Spain. The Monstrall old-vine vineyard looks just like the dusty, rocky soil of Chateauneuf du Pape.