Weekly Wine Review - Spanish Red Blend - 2008 Luzón Crianza Selección 12 Meses

Jumilla is a wine region in Southeastern Spain where Monastrell is the key red grape, often blended with Tempranillo plus Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I first became familiar with it a few years ago when I tried El Nido at the Wine Spectator Grand Tour.  El Nido is quite expensive at over $100 a bottle, but I wanted to give a try to something at about one tenth of that price. So here we go!
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Wine: 2008 Luzón Crianza Selección 12 Meses

Region: Jumilla, Spain

Grape Varieties: Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo

Obtained from: Purchased at Ultimate Wine Shop

Price: $11.00

Wino4Life Category: Everyday Wine

Aeration before tasting: Just a swirl or two, no special aeration.

Cork Condition: Natural Cork - no defects or issues.

Appearance: Deep purple in color with a pink rim.

Aroma: Dark fruits like black cherry, a bit of smoke and just a hint of something herbal.

Taste: Full bodied with nice fruit flavors - just a bit harsh on the tannins at this point - but this may soften with age.

The Grade: I give this one an A-. The tannins are a bit harsh at this point- but a nice full bodied red for just over 10 bucks.  The mix of varietals makes for a very interesting red blend.  Buy a bottle to try now, and one to try in a year or so to see the difference aging makes with wine.