Bodegas Castaño Mourvedre Blend Yecla Solanera Viñas Viejas 2003

There are 20,000 cases of the 2002 Solanera, a formidably endowed, chunky, rich, chocolatey, melted licorice, blackberry and black currant-scented wine. A deep ruby/purple color is followed by a medium to full-bodied red with loads of texture, and a luscious mid-palate revealing notions of scorched earth and black fruits. It is a sizeable effort with extremely ripe tannin, something only old vine, late harvested Mourvedre can achieve. It is a custom cuvee created only for the American marketplace, so bottles sold in Europe and in the grey market will be completely different. Enjoy it over the next 2-3 years, although my instincts suggest it will last longer.

Monastrell, or Mourvèdre as it is more commonly known in French- and English-speaking parts of the globe, has a reputation for producing dry, tannic wines that occasionally reek of horse manure. Not so in sunny Spain, where a growing number of clean, berry-fruited offerings are turning up at bargain prices. This medium-weight Monastrell combines forward berry fruit with chocolate notes and just a hint of tree bark on the finish.

(65% monastrell, 15% cabernet sauvignon and 20% tintorera; this special cuvee includes the oldest monastrell vines of the producer) Bright medium ruby. Smoky black raspberry, black cherry and roast coffee aromas. Then sweet and dense but rather suave in the mouth, with complex flavors of plum, coffee, olive and Provencal herbs. Has the underlying sweetness of material to support its firm tannins. The crop level for this cuvee was just 18 hectoliters per hectare, according to the American importer, and the wine was done entirely in French oak.

There are 8,500 cases of the unfined, unfiltered, prodigious 2001 Solanera, a blend of 70% ungrafted, old vine Monastrell, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a custom cuvée specifically bottled for the American importer, Eric Solomon. It spent nearly a year in French oak, 20% of which was new. Its opaque, inky purple color is followed by glorious aromas of blue and blackberries intermixed with graphite, minerals, smoke, and scorched earth. It is splendidly concentrated and full-bodied, with no hard edges. This extraordinary wine can be drunk now, and over the next 6-8 years. This is a cutting edge effort from one of Spain's backwater, but soon to be famous appellations.

(old-vines monastrell and cabernet sauvignon) Full, bright ruby. Superripe, slightly roasted aromas of candied cassis, leather, licorice, dark chocolate and meat. Dense, thick and concentrated, with noteworthy depth of flavor and a note of espresso; just this side of heavy. Finishes with big but sweet tannins.

[No tasting note was given.]

The 2004 Solanera is a blend of 65% Monastrell, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Tintorera raised in French oak. More complex than its siblings, this purple-colored wine offers fragrant aromas of spice box, smoke, blueberry pie and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied, the wine is plush and full-flavored with enough structure to support several years of additional bottle age. It should drink well for 8-10 years.