Varietal: Monastrell
Region: Spain
Cost: $9
Dark violet color with aromas of spice on the nose and fresh fruit on the palate. Â Pairs well with roasts, steaks, and BBQ.
Recommendations: I will admit that the name of this bottle alone caught my eye when I was in the store. Â I had never heard of Monastrell before (though apparently it’s the same thing as Mourvedre, which I have heard of), so I decided to give it a try.
Opened the same night as the Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir, we paired this wine with the same cheese and crackers. Â Far more robust than the Pinot, the Wrong Dongo had aromas of cherry and spice with the same cherry on the palate.
While only paired with the cheese and crackers, I can see how this would pair well with a dinner of grilled or roasted meat, and certainly some BBQ. Â The big surprise for me was that even with the high alcohol content (15%/vol), I didn’t get a heavy alcohol taste, which has been a sticking point for me lately.
I don’t know that this wine lives up to its name of being “wrongo”, but it was certainly interesting and worth checking out if you’re looking to expand your varietal horizons. Â Paired with something off the grill it should be enjoyable and for the price it’s hard to argue against picking it up just to display.
