Unraveling the Spanish wine industry is as complex as assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle.
The pursuit is worth it. With more than 70 wine-producing regions and even more diverse growing conditions, the wines of Spain are rich, diverse – and in many cases offer remarkable value.
One of those, Can Blau (2007), skillfully presents a blend of Mazuelo, Syrah and Granacha, one of the country’s historically dominant grapes. Mazuelo is a predominant blending grape, and may be more familiar under its name across the border in France: Carignan.
The wine has great depth, color and ripe fruit flavors with a long complex finish. And while the grapes do the work, the terroir, of course, adds significant character. That terroir – and the location of Can Blau, are the elements that combine to make this such a good value.
The wine hails from Monstant, located in eastern Spain near the Mediterranean. As a wine region, Monstant was only recognized in 2001 but has emerged as a place where the wines are earthy with traces of minerality. The new winery, near the village of Mas Roig, lacks back story, but carries the torch for this pioneering region.
Heather Moore of Prestige Wine Wholesale explained that over a tasting of Spanish wines last week at Local 11 Ten. According to Heather, the Monstant region bumps up against the larger, more well-known and pricer Priorat region. However, both areas share common soil – a llicorella (black slate) base that is sparkling with quartz. Shared high elevation stems the harshness of Spanish summers; less rainfall than average increases intensity.
Among the trio of wines that accompanied an entr