THEWINEMONOLOGUES.COM: Moristel from the Pyrenees in Spain #WBW70

Moristel from the Pyrenees in Spain #WBW70

Years ago I put together an informal wine tasting for some friends. To make things interesting, I assigned each guest a region and asked them to bring a varietal that they had never tried from their region. "I don't like red wine" Kristin remarked at the start of the evening and she hoped that she had not brought a "bad" bottle of wine for us to try. She need not have worried. Alquezar Moristel, we assured her, was not a "bad" bottle of wine — indeed it is quite the opposite.

Moristel is grown in the Somontano region adjoining the central Pyrenees area of Spain. In southern Aragon, Moristel is known as Juan Ibáñez. It is commonly used as a blending ingredient with uniquely regional native specialties such as Parraleta. www.wine-searcher.com/grape-1467-moristel

Because it is used mostly as a blending grape, it is easy to understand why I may have missed this varietal in my Spanish wine tastings. The small Moristel grapes are known for producing wine with great color, high in acidity and known for their aromatic scents and flavors.

I reacquainted myself with the 2005 Alquezar Moristel today. I decanted the bottle for about an hour. In the glass, this varietal presents a bright vibrant red color. The nose was a full bouquet of flowers, with hints of cranberries and raspberries. The medium bodied palate is juicy, soft and silky with tastes of cherries and cranberries, with a hint of spice. It shows a slight bit of minerality, with nice tannins to boot. It is not an overly complex wine and the finish was a bit lacking, but at $13.00, I would certainly go back to pick up a bottle for burgers on the grill. Indeed, so would Kristin.

Cheers!