2016 Familia Castano Monastrell

2016 Familia Castaño Monastrell

Where: Yecla, Spain

Who: Ramon Castaño Santa

What: 100% Monastrell (Mourvedre)

Tastes like: Dark fruits, plums, spice, earthy

What to pair with: Game, stews, dark chocolate, Pork Saltimboca (!)

The Who:  Familia Castaño is, like the name implies, a family run business.   Founded by Ramon Castaño Santa in the 1950s, the winery today is run with the assistance of his three sons.  The early years were spent modernizing the winery and purchasing more land in the area, and bottle production began in the 1980’s.  Monastrell, the little known native grape to the area, was traditionally sold in bulk, and Familia Castano was one of the region’s first producers to take production of it seriously as a stand-alone grape.  Though they do plant international varietals, the work with monastrell is still the primary focus for the winemakers.  All grapes are harvested by hand.

The What:   The earliest mentioning of Monastrell as a varietal is in the 15th century in the mediterranean areas of the Spain.  It is a very hearty grape, thick skinned and inky, perfectly suited to the extreme climate conditions of Yecla: it is able to bear extreme temperature deviation from winter to summer, and can handle long periods of drought by decreasing its rate of development and yield.

Mourvedre/Monastrell Red Wine Profile

MAJOR REGIONS: Less than 190,000 acres worldwide.

• Spain (~150,000+ acres) Alicante, Jumilla, Almansa
• France (~25,000 acres) Bandol (Provence), Rhône
• Australia (~2500 acres) South Australia
• United States (~1000+ acres) California, Washington

Typical Characteristics:

FRUIT: Blueberry, Blackberry, Plum

OTHER: Black Pepper, Violet, Rose, Smoke, Gravel, Meat

OAK: Yes. Usually medium to long oak aging.

TANNIN: High

ACIDITY: Medium (+)

ABV: 12-15%

COMMON SYNONYMS: Monastrell, Alicante, Mataró, Damas Noir, Pinot Fleri, Mataro, Torrentes, Monastre, Mourves,

The Where: D.O Yecla is located in the north of Murcia in southeast Spain.  The altitude of the municipality is very high--between 400 and 800 meters (approx. 1400-2800 ft)--which means it has a very distinct microclimate compared to other parts of Murcia.  Normal winters see temperature below freezing and summer can be extraordinarily hot (in the 90’s), sunny, and dry.  

Viticulture and winemaking in Yecla date back to the Phoenician empire, and much archaeological evidence exists which indicates notable winemaking activity during the Roman occupation.  The area has two smaller areas designated, indicating the altitude at which the vines grow as the soil in the mountains changes drastically over 500m.  These vines in the Castano are planted at higher altitudes, in very difficult, dry soil that is 70% limestone, 15% clay, and 15% sand.