Mourvèdre / Monastrell
Like Grenache, Mourvèdre is a full-bodied Spanish grape that wandered up the dry Mediterranean coast to France’s Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence and Southern Rhone Valley. But unlike Grenache, Mourvèdre’s small berries and thick skins are capable of seriously deep colour and dark berry flavours. This might have made Mourvèdre famous (like its frequent neighbour, Syrah) except perhaps for its more rustic, savoury background notes - that can smell like earthy spiced meat...or a barnyard. Yet such complexities still make rich and impressive single varietals - especially in France’s Bandol - while also adding dimension to Spanish blends under the name Monastrell and to Rhone-influenced ones from California and Australia, sometimes under the name Mataro.

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2018 Casa Castillo Monastrell
Parker's Wine Advocate
A seriously undervalued red from a high altitude area that consists of old unirrigated bush vines. A beautifully rich blend dominated by Monastrell (Mourvedre) from Spain, that comes across much ... read more$24.99 in mixed 6+ or $27.99 per bottle -
2018 Casa Castillo Las Gravas
Parker's Wine Advocate
A top wine from one of the best estates in Jumilla. The Las Gravas is named after the thick layers of rock and gravel in this single vineyard of old bush vines. Along with some vineyard ... read more$69.99 in mixed 6+ or $74.99 per bottle -
2015 Head Ancestor Vine Grenache Mataro
James Halliday
A very special wine that has been squeezed out from vines of more than one-and-a-half centuries old. On an elevated and cool site, these extremely low-yielding vines produce a red less about ... read more$89.99 in mixed 6+ or $99.99 per bottle -
2017 Casa Castillo Cuvee N
Parker's Wine Advocate
A remarkable top Monastrell from the leading producer in Jumilla, Spain. The Cuvee N is one of the estates most select wines, sourced only in the best vintages from the top-planted vines in the ... read more$135.00 in mixed 6+ or $150.00 per bottle