Let’s Pop Over to Spain

The sun came out this weekend, and just like most places that experience winter the city’s population emerged from hibernation. Parks were filled, people were walking, and it’s almost as if we remember that there is a world outside of our cozy homes. My favourite activity is back in full swing: Patio Season. There really is something about sitting outisde with good people, snacking, drinking, and feeling the sun on your face. We popped into a happy hour and at the top of their menu was the shining star: Spanish Rosé. Say less.

A glass of that and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. So I decided to make it my new personality. What can I get you? A Spanish Rosé please. So here we are, exploring the rosés of Spain.

For this wine, I chose the wine first and then discovered the region. So Mantra Lokah Organic Rose came home with me. As I chilled the bottle at home, I started to look into the region in which this wine came from. The Castilla-La Mancha Wine Region is an expansive region in central Spain, historic and cultured in wine ¹.

The region itself sees more than half of the wine production in Spain, where summers are extremely hot and winters cool. As we’ve explored before, we know this makes viable and delicious grapes for wines. ² Winters go down to -12 degrees Celsius, while summers see heat upwards of 40 degrees Celsius. This makes for almost extreme conditions where only particular crops can thrive: vines for grapes, and olive groves. Summers are in constant drought, but the soil is the magic: chalk and lime soil. ³ This soil composition is porous; fantastic for vineyards in high intensity heat. The soil’s porosity retains moisture and nutrients for vines. ⁴

So this brings us back to the Mantra Lokah Organic Rose. The wine is a blend of Garnacha and Monastrell grapes, which is a popualr red wine blend from the region. Let’s break down what those grapes mean:

1. Garnacha – distinct in it’s fruit forwardness, which is exentuated by the extreme heat that this grape is exposed to in this region. ⁷ Common tasting notes include: Raspberry, black cherry, and strawberry. In addition, spices such as: Star anise, cinnamon, and black pepper. ⁸
2. Monastrell – tasting notes of dark fruit such as blackberry, spices such as black pepper, tobacco, and cocoa can come through as well. ⁹

And then the tasting begins… exactly what I needed. A cold, crisp, fruity rosé, transporting me to the sunniest of days and making me look forward to summer. While sweet and raspberry/straeberry flavours, and a slight bitterness. The bitterness comes from some mineral undertones and according to sources, a slight orange flavour.

Tonight I’ve paired it with a salad full of fresh greens and some feta cheese. The lightness of the wine is sure to compliment the lightness of the salad, making it a great summer wine! This wine is definitely going to be a staple for my summer, so if you invite me to a barbecue you can count on this one being in my bag!