Monastrell

Where is it grown?

In France we see it in the Southern Rhône Valley, Provence and the Languedoc.

In Spain it is found in Rioja, Alicante and Penedès, often as 100% Monastrell wines.

In Australia there are old plantings in the Barossa, Clare, and McLaren Vale. It is often used in a Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro blend given the name GSM. The variety is making a bit of come back with new planting being trialed across the country.

What does it taste like?

I’ve always thought of Mataro as an earthy, dark wine, with significant tannins of quality that can give great depth and length of both flavour and tannin.

These characteristics make it such a great blending component layering in flavour and helping to build mouthfeel.

In a GSM the Grenache typically provides perfume, spice and juby fruit, the Shiraz rich mid-palate and the Mataro complexing earthy, dark fruit and structure.

Like all varieties the diversity of sites and winemaking techinques result in an equally diverse array of styles!