~US$13, 100% Monastrell (Mourvedre), Jumilla, Spain

Fruit forward, with red cherries, strawberries and black raspberries on the nose and palate. Clear oak influence. While soft and juicy, the palate is supported by enough acidity and tannic stucture to hold itself together without feeling flabby. The typical Mourvedre gaminess is absent - and the interplay of big red and black fruits reminded me of a oversized new-world Pinot Noir more than anything else. Some spice notes of cinnamon and allspice towards the finish.

Overall, not a serious geek-out wine, but a tasty value that satisfied. It showed well the 2nd day, but I wouldn’t keep the 05’s around much past 2010. Great with BBQ.

Pepiere Muscadet Clos Des Briords 2006, Loire: Fierce acidity, grapefruit, lime, and chalk dust. Very mineral and acid driven. Razor sharp and focused. Mouthfulls of gravel. Very long and persistent for a wine under ~$12. Drink with food you’d normally squeeze a lemon on.

Galena Priorat 2004, Priorat: Quite austere, but intriguing black tea, wet leaves, and high-toned fruit. Firm and acidic - leaning towards an elegance rather than an opulence. Restrained fruit, but really nice 2nd and 3rd tier herbal (oregano) characteristics. Good value @ $24, and an interesting blend of Garnacha, Cabernet, Merlot & Carignan. Try with pork dishes.

Kiona Cabernet-Merlot 2001, Washington: Old-world aromas - sweaty sock and barnyard - are welcome and characteristic of this unusual $11 wine. Caramelized broccoli and asparagus on the nose, with a black fruit core. Very juicy and lush on the palate - easy to drink indeed - the fruit has held up nicely and retains a fresh ripeness. The only thing holding this little wine from greatness is an annoying bitterness in the finish. This has gobs of character and charm, and is a great value. With ostrich or buffalo burgers - or asparagus wrapped in pancetta.

Tolaini Duesanti Toscana IGT 2003: A shocking combination of old-world Italian viticulture with Bordeaux grapes. This gem really delivers with a distinctive nose of black currant, dried parsley and mint, and a forest-floor woodsiness (not oaky). Great focus and purity on the palate - still tight with firm tannins but very expressive fruit ripeness and length. Much more interesting than the Paulliac tasted alongside it in the sub-$40 range. Try with braised veal shank and fresh pasta.

M5 Monastrell, 2005 Yecla: Undrinkable. Syrupy over-extracted and hot. Cheap raspberry-balsamic vinegar poured over a wet animal. Yuck. 92 pts Jay Miller?!?.

~$9US 90% Mourvedre (aka: Monastrell) /10% Grenache

Fairly opaque ruby jewel tones. Imparts a rich nose of blackberries, white pepper, tobacco, and some wild gamey notes. Very nice texture and balance on the palate - round and viscous, with bittersweet chocolate notes coming through. The tannins are a bit aggressive and drying in the finish, but the wine redeems itself with some restrained oak, vanilla, and a cornbread-like(?!) ending.

This wine has a helluva lot to offer in the sub-$15 category (let alone the sub $10) in terms of character and wine-craft. The Monastrell grape shines through- showing the varietally-correct deep black fruits, alcohol, tannins, and a wild, meatiness. The mouthfeel is where this excels - it is simply stimulating in the mouth. Another great food wine for red meats; it has enough fruit up-front, and balances it with some old-world charm. Hard not to like this effort, especially for the price.