2004 Nido - Clio Mourvedre - Spain - Murcia - Jumilla - Red

($45; 70% monastrell and 30% cabernet sauvignon) Ruby-red. Sharply focused raspberry, cassis and floral aromas are complicated by zesty minerals and a suave cocoa quality. Sweet red berry and cherry flavors are strikingly pure and deep, with fine-grained tannins adding shape and firmness. The mineral character repeats on the impressively long, juicy finish. There are plenty of $100 wines that can't match this.

Very dark crimson. Very beautiful simple label – rather obvious sweet American oak on the nose. I’d sip this cautiously with some salty cheese at the end of a meal but it’s just too much to drink with a main course (I did try…). Massive. Reasonable balance but there’s no hiding that alcohol! Monastrell with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.