Vins del Comtat Monastrell ‘M’ 2018 Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain 75cl

Vins del Comtat is a small winery in Cocentaina, in the El Comtat valley of northern Alicante, in Spain’s Mediterranean south-east. It is a genuinely small grower working in a corner of the country better known for its beaches than its wine, though the hills inland have a long viticultural history.

The ‘M’ is pure Monastrell, the grape at the heart of Alicante and much of south-eastern Spain. Thick-skinned and heat-loving, and one of the last varieties to ripen, it gives dark, deeply coloured reds with real structure and a savoury edge, while the area’s altitude helps keep the fruit fresh rather than jammy.

From the 2018 harvest, it offers the ripe, generous fruit typical of the warm Alicante climate.

Full-bodied and firmly structured, it shows dark berry and plum fruit, savoury, spicy and herbal notes and grippy tannins that carry through a long, warming finish. This is a red that wants food and hearty flavours: grilled red meat, lamb chops, rich stews and casseroles, spiced sausage or a mature hard cheese all suit it well. Serve it at cool room temperature, and give it a little air; it is approachable now, with the structure to hold for a few more years.

An authentic, characterful taste of Alicante Monastrell from a small, independent producer. If you enjoy southern French Mourvèdre or a robust Jumilla red, this belongs firmly in the same company, and offers a rewarding way to explore a grape and a region that remain something of an insider’s secret.