The 2010 Reserva Santa Rosa, which was once their flagship wine, is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Shiraz. It feels extremely young and marked by its elevage of 16 months in new oak barrels. Minty notes, medium-bodied, quite oaky, with some tannins that need polishing. Drink 2015-2020. Enrique Mendoza, a salesman in love with wine, started planting some vines in l’Alfas del Pi, very close to Benidorm, where his house and original business was located, in the 1960s. But it’s not until 1989 that his hobby was turned into a proper winery and Bodegas Enrique Mendoza were created. The Marina Baja area, close to the sea, is appropriate for growing Moscatel, but it’s not so good for red grapes, so he purchased a property inland, in the Vinalopo Valley, Finca Chaconero in Villena, where they have 80 hectares of vineyards. The focus was initially on French varieties (Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot and Shiraz), but in 2003 they started producing one of the best examples of Monastrell from the region, called Estrecho. Today Enrique’s sons, Pepe and Julian are at the helm of the company. They are so passionate about their vineyards (especially Pepe) and their wines that talking to them fills you with positive energy. The focus is clearly on viticulture, which to me is the right approach. They produce 350,000 bottles per year spread over a very wide range, which I find a little confusing, but I’m happy to see more and more attention being paid to Monastrell. I was especially impressed by (yet another) new wine called Las Quebradas. A few of their wines were reviewed last October in issue #203. Importer: Winebow Inc, Montvele, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The dense texture carries dark flavors of coffee, tobacco and game in this solid red. Muscular tannins support a core of plum and cassis. Austere but balanced. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. Drink now through 2020. 375 cases made.??–TM??Region: Spain / Alicante Select to Add