A glass of this producer’s rosado with a plate of calamari overlooking one of those small inlets that crinkle the coast of Menorca was surprisingly delicious for such a thing. And I can hardly remember the last time I bought pink wine, you have to admit it’s neither red nor white to its disadvantage. It was so good a pink, I thought I’d splash some travel euros on a bottle of their red. A bit preoccupied by cooking, I failed to google the bottle and just plunged into a glass, assuming it was one of those Balearic grapes like Callet. First impressions were good, clean, fresh and just ripe enough to be fruit sweet with an edge of tartness. Over a couple of evenings, the fresh red fruit drove on through but with a bass thud of something earthy, hinting at something like caramelised game meat. Really eyebrow lifting was the solid wave of grape skin tannin, ripe and sparkled by natural acidity. Intrigued, I googled and discovered it’s Monastrell or Mataro or Mourvèdre, as was the rosado. Fruit weight, medium body and the transparent depth of a good Beaujolais cru but well dressed grunt aplenty. Well made in a restrained natty style. Hits the pleasure receptors and thought provoking too. Light on its feet for Mourvèdre and none of that distracting farmyard character some identify in the variety. Worth the urge to take a risk on a chance encounter.
14% alcohol. Diam, again. €21.
94 points.
Cognitive Bottle Therapy 