Jumilla, Spain It’s Hot…Literally!

Imagine standing, weak kneed, in the middle of a desert. It is 104 degrees and your core is reaching boiling point while your skin is darkening. A cool breeze blows down your spine and the onset of night is just around the corner. Here the night brings a chill to the bone so drastic from the burn of the sun a few hours earlier that you can’t wait to take on the cloudless sky the next day.

Open your eyes…you are in Jumilla (hoo-mee-yuh), Spain where the red grape Monastrell rules the land.

The main regions of Southeast Spain include, Jumilla, Yecla, Almansa, Alicante and Bullas. Jumilla was established as a D.O. (“Denominación de Origen”, the second category for quality wine in Spain) in 1995, but has been making wine since Roman times. During the late 19^th century France and other parts of Europe suffered the wrath of Phylloxera (a.k.a. a really nasty pest that dines on grape vine roots), while Jumilla was left intact. For a short while, Jumilla enjoyed a boost in wine sales given that the French wine market was trying to recover from near collapse. Afterward, Phylloxera found its way south nearly destroying all of the vineyards in Jumilla.   It was 1989, most young, female American teenagers were dressing up like Madonna, and meanwhile the wineries in Jumilla were ripping out rootstock.  As a result, about 60% of Jumilla vines are much younger in comparison to the rest of Europe.

Jumilla produces five different types of wine: reds, rosés, whites, sweet natural wines and dessert wines. The principle white grape is Airén and as I mentioned earlier…Monastrell rules the roost.

The climate in Jumilla is very similar to that of Arizona’s. It’s hot, dry, arid and perfect for growing the grape Monastrell (85% of Jumilla’s vineyards are Monastrell). Monastrell is a very late ripening grape, so it needs a long hot summer to reach its peak, but cool nights to hang on to its acidity. Those cool nights are generated by its close proximity to the Mediterranean.

Drought is a constant battle in Jumilla. The sun shines on an average of 3,000 hours a year and rainfall is a meager 12 inches annually. The Spanish are very particular about the use of irrigation and it is often restricted. You would think this would prevent vines from growing in Jumilla, but luckily Jumilla soil is “special.” It is composed of red-brown limestone lying over limestone bedrock. This type of earth has high water retention and is slightly porous which allows the vines to survive long periods of drought. That is some special dirt…and Monastrell loves it.

Monastrell, referred to as Mourvèdre in France, is of Spanish origin and is grown throughout the Mediterranean coast.  It is often blended with Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault in Southern Rhone Valley. Characteristically, it typically exhibits flavors of wild game, exotic spices, pan grill, and black fruits.  Other red grapes grown in Jumilla are Syrah, Cencibel (Tempranillo), Tintorera, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Verdot.

The wines of Jumilla are becoming increasingly complex and are developing their own particular style. In my opinion, it is a great area to explore because you get the opportunity to try wines that taste like $50 bottles, but you pay less than $20 for them. Yecla and Almansa, Jumilla’s neighbors are becoming hot items too. Southeastern Spain is your new wine travel guide. Grab on to Jumilla while it’s hot.

Wine and Food pairing basics

White wine goes with Chicken, no wait, ummmm heavy –bodied, white wine goes with Chicken… that’s right, no wait, light bodied red with chicken and roasted vegetables; wait…is it red with roasted veggies? UGH! I give up! Give me a martini.

Ok, I’ll admit it’s not all that bad if you end up with a martini, but food calls for wine. They should be a song harmoniously singing together whispering sweetness in your belly. Think of food and wine as lovers. When one fails to do the laundry, the other offers the cold shoulder, but when promises are kept they will skip along into the sunset. Plus, it’s not called a pairing for nothing. Both the wine and the food have to contribute to the relationship.  One should not overpower the other. Therefore, I have a step by step program to guide you through the relationship…between wine and food I mean.

1. What kinds of foods compliment other foods? What spices would you rub on beef? What kinds of fruits taste great with chicken or fish (I enjoy citrus, such as lime)? This same idea can be applied to food and wine. Basically, you want to thinks of ingredients that enhance each other’s flavors. For example, if you’re making steak rub with black pepper, try a wine with a black pepper flavor. You can often find a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère with a peppery flavor. Mango goes great on a chicken salad, so find a wine that has tropical fruit flavors, such as a warm climate Chardonnay from Southern California, Western Australia or Mendoza Argentina.  The nuances (flavor characteristics found in particular grape varietals) in wine should complement the dish. The answer is on the dinner plate. Serving Lobster with clementines and grapefruit? Find a wine with grapefruit and citrus nuances such as Spanish Verdejo (like Rueda) or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

2. Next is the Acid factor. Acidity plays a big role in food pairing; especially when we’re talking high fat, creamy foods, which we never have. Acidity cuts through the creaminess that coats your tongue, which in return allows you to taste the wine. If a wine is low in acidity and you’re having a cream based soup for example, it will be very difficult to taste the wine. The acid acts somewhat like a palate cleanser. Oh, and remember that acid and spice are sworn enemies.

1. Finally, if you taste more of one or the other (the food or the wine) it is not a good pairing. Unfortunately, you find this out after you purchase the wine and bring it home. This is why we so often hear “white wine with chicken or fish and red wine with dark meats.”  It is a very good tool to follow. One cannot have more power than the other. Nobody wants to be part of that relationship.

The stronger the red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Old Vine Grenache, Chianti Classico and Brunello Di Montalcino for example, all fall into this category) the more powerful the dish should be and vice versa. A light white wine should be paired with a light dish.

There are many other variables that play into wine and food pairing. Just refer to my first sentence…Chicken with roasted veggies. Is it white or red and what kind of white or red. Ask your local wine shop’s Sommelier for recommendations. That is what they’re there for.

Food paring is a balancing act of flavors. I think I mention this in almost every column. “Everything in moderation” is an overdone, simple, but fantastic quote.