Wine of the Month, October 2022
Time Waits For No One
'Stone Elephant' Jumilla, 2020
Finca Bacara, Murcia, Spain
£13.00 + 100 loyalty points
In the middle of a sunny August when the hot weather seemed like it would go on forever it was a leap of faith to pick out a proper autumnal red for our October 'Wine of the Month'. However, as I look out the window while writing these notes it's dull and a bit damp and all of a sudden what we've gone for seems to be making a lot more sense now.
It's all starting to get a bit indoorsy now and wines with generous body and warmth feel more like the order of the day. So our pick for this month is something that fits the bill pretty well. It's a fairly and squarely powerful and intense red from the hot and arid Murcia region of southeast Spain which produces some terrific wines of this type using the Monastrell grape variety which is right at home in these parts.
Jumilla is Murcia's top DO (in fact part of the region spills over into neighbouring Castilla-La Mancha). It lies just inland from the fertile and populous coastal strip stretching south of Alicante and the climate contrast is noticeable. Despite the harsh, arid conditions viticulture here has a history stretching back to the Romans. It wasn't until the 1990s though that it's really come to wider attention.
Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre in France and elsewhere) really likes the local conditions. And its small, thick-skinned berries are perfect for producing the heady and concentrated wines which are the area's hallmark. Finca Bacara, the producer, farm their 900m high vineyards organically and all the wines they make are characteristically fruit-laden and appetising.
Big and savoury this is a great food wine. Its fruitiness, intensity and subtle spiciness suit roasts, casseroles and other hearty stuff down to a tee. An ideal red for early autumn drinking.
Starting on Friday 30th September and throughout October it's available at £13.00 per bottle singly, or as part of a Mixed Six and for every bottle purchased you'll earn a bonus 100 loyalty points as well (that's worth £1.00 on redemption)
Check out the details here
