Spanish Reds like this don't come along every day.
Luzon 2006
Jumilla Red Wine
Denominación de Origen: Jumilla
Bottled by Bodegas Luzon, S.L.
14% Alc by Vol
This is one you should try when you see it where you buy fine wines. Expect to pay between $7 and $10 for a bottle. You'll love it.
I was talking with a wine representative around Christmas time and I told him what I liked and asked if he had any suggestions. This is always a risky question, since I did not know him for longer than five minutes but I was curious what he might pick out that I should buy.
He recommended that I try the Spanish Luzon 2006. He told me that it was one he liked and that I might like it too.
The Luzon winery is located about 220 miles (350 km) southeast of Madrid in the valley of La Hoya de la Carrasca. It is a family owned winery that is comprised of approximately 220 acres (90 hectares).
The area is surrounded by low mountains and the climate is comprised of warm days and cool nights. This combination provides balance and structure to the grapes. The terrior or soil is chalky mixed with gravel which provides good drainage but also holds what little rain the area has in the soil mixture.
When I opened the wine, I was surprised that the cork did not show a great deal of age on the part of the cork that was exposed to the wine. It had the look of a cork that was just put in the bottle not too long ago.
The color of the grape in the glass was a deep purple, which reminded me of Welsh's Grape Jelly. Swirling the wine around in my glass, the wine had a very fruity smell, almost like blackberry. It was very pleasant.
The bottle tag at the liquor store said that it was a Monastrell-Syrah blend. The bottle label did not indicate this at all. The label just stated that was Jumilla Red Wine.
Although this review is about the 2006, I read that the 2007 Luzon is 65% Monastrell and 35% Syrah and could be kept in your cellar for 2 or 3 years. I know that mine will not last that long.
On my way home this past week, I was not going any where near where I bought my first bottle of Luzon at Christmas. So I stopped in a fairly large liquor store to see if they might have it. I ran into a guy that I used to work with back in my restaurant days. He and I opened a little restaurant - I worked as a waiter for lunch and an occassionly dinner shift and he was the cashier.
We've kept in touch over the years. He asked me what I was looking for and I told him. "We have it on sale for $6.99. This is one awesome wine that no one knows anything about. It is a HUGE secret and look at the price!!" I tried to get a case but they only had 9 bottles. And it was the 2007 and I had been buying the 2006 in the past. But they both tasted the same to me.
You really need to see if you can get this wine where you live. I do not think you will be disappointed. I had it recently with steak and it was excellent!!
You can see the label here:
Luzon 2006
Let me know what is on your mind, and how you are doing, O.K.?
Jim Fortune - Bella Online Wine Guy
"No pipe - No cigars!"
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