Bodegas Castaño

17 Mar Bodegas Castaño

grape: Monastrell
wine region or DO (Denominación de Origen): Yecla

Yecla is a DO in region of Murcia, surrounded by other more prominent DO’s of Almansa, Alicante and Jumilla. Because this region experiences very hot summers (100°+F), mild winters,little rainfall, and loads of sunlight hours per year (3000+ hours/year – that’s over 8 hours every single day!) most wine grapes don’t grow well here. The exception is Monastrell, where this small thick skinned berry thrives to produce wines of high color, flavor and tannin. (Elsewere Monastrell is also known as Mataro and Mourvèdre.)

The Castaño family has been producing wine since the 1950’s and today three generations of grandfather, father and three sons run their multiple wineries.

Monastrell is sometimes sometimes dubbed the “Spanish Zin”, with lively juiciness but without the jaminess. I agree with this wine! As the weather begins to warm up around here and you feel tempted to brush the dust off your grill, consider drinking this wine with any sort of BBQ. As well as pairing with anything off the grill, this wine would also be tasty with pizza, Spanish sheep’s milk cheese (like Manchego or Zamorano) or salty/spicy charcuterie (think Chorizo or Serrano ham.)