I first tasted this wine in a tasting at a wine store, from the first sip it became my favorite. It has a lovely rich flavor and almost no tannic bite. I've since sampled other Monastrell-based wines and none has come close.

Full, rich, fruit forward. Love this wine for weekdays or even weekend drinking

I found this in a nearby discount wine store, for just $11.99. This is an excellent buy for that price. I've had a number of $18.99 wines that have similar characteristics. Despite being a 2005 vintage, it still tastes rather young. Stephen Tanzer's writeup seems to be spot-on. Let it breathe, nice and long. It gets better with a good airing. I think this vintage is a little less grapey than the 2004. A nice tinge of spice. It finishes well--a gentle aftertaste that fades away in fairly short order. I wish there was some information about how long one can keep it stored, as I'd like to try holding onto a few bottles for a couple of years to see how it endures. A fine Spanish wine that surprises, especially for the price. I'd say it's a great idea to keep a few bottles on hand for those evenings when the wine needs to flow a little more than usual. ;-)