Mas Delmera Monastrell Reserva 2012 Jumilla, Murcia, Spain 75cl

Mas Delmera is made in Jumilla, a warm, high plateau in the hills of Murcia in Spain’s south-east, from Monastrell, the grape the French know as Mourvèdre and the beating heart of the region.

This is pure Monastrell, a thick-skinned, late-ripening variety that thrives on Jumilla’s heat, altitude and poor limestone soils. It naturally produces dark, deeply coloured and structured reds, full of dark fruit and a savoury, almost gamey character. The Reserva ageing takes that firm, youthful grip and softens it into something rounder and more approachable.

From the 2012 harvest, this bottle has had years to develop in bottle. It has traded some of its primary fruit for the savoury, tertiary notes of maturity, leather, dried herb and spice, which is exactly what a Reserva is for and what sets it apart from a young, fruit-driven Monastrell.

On the palate it is full-bodied and warming, with dark berry and plum fruit, spice, leather and a long, savoury finish carried by soft but present tannins. This is a red for hearty cooking: slow-roast lamb, rich beef stews, sausages, or grilled meats off the barbecue, and it stands up well to a mature hard cheese. Serve it at cool room temperature, and it is ready to drink now.

Jumilla is one of the few corners of Europe whose old Monastrell vines largely came through the phylloxera plague, and that deep-rooted heritage shows in the concentration of wines like this. If you enjoy the plush, sun-filled style of southern French Mourvèdre or a robust, mature Rioja, aged Jumilla Monastrell is a rewarding and well-priced alternative, with plenty of character for the money and a savoury depth that only comes with age.