2015 Bodega Sierra Norte Porta Regia Monastrell 12 Months Jumilla Spain 750 ml

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

We were thousands of miles from the nearest yellow wood, but we couldn’t help thinking of Robert Frost’s immortal couplet, as the Spanish sun set over the vines and we sat sipping a ruby-hued, meaty, and leather-tinged red that was evolving in our glasses like a serious Châteauneuf-du-Pape. At that moment, we’d never been so grateful for our wayward streak.  

We’d woken up over 300 miles to the north, and over espressos in our little hotel in Girona, had contemplated our diverging roads: Do we head north to the Rhône—with its universally loved deep and dense red wines—or veer a little off the beaten path to the wilds of southern Spain? The risk was that we’d miss out on the riches of the Rhône. But the potential reward of finding something just as sublime at a fraction of the price was too great to ignore. We hopped in the car and headed south.

The 2015 Bodega Sierra Norte Porta Regia Monastrell 12 Months from Jumilla is the wine that ratified our risk-taking. The intense red, laden with red fruit, minerals, and cigar box aromas competes with the serious wines of the Rhône at less than half the price. 

Jumilla is the world’s epicenter for old-vine Monastrell, the grape that (as Mourvèdre) forms a big part of the blend of Château de Beaucastel, and dominates the profound, long-lived reds of Bandol—powerhouses like Domaine Tempier and Wine Access five-star favorite Domaine du Gros ‘Noré. The variety absolutely thrives in the hot, sunny climes of Jumilla, and keeps a lively streak of acidity thanks to the area’s high elevation and proximity to the Mediterranean.

The first of Bodegas Sierra Norte’s 125 acres of organically farmed bush-trained Monasrell date back to 1958, and poke out of poor limestone soils at nearly 2,000 feet above sea level. The oldest vines, which are eking out exquisitely concentrated fruit in their advanced age, combine with the younger plantings to create a Monastrell that balances young-vine freshness with the complexity of the viejos. A year in second-use American and French oak adds a touch of toasted complexity, and now, five years after harvest, this wine is absolutely singing.

Grab a case now and get in on the bargain find of our trip to Spain. Pair it with a burger, duck confit, a steak, or (like we did) a stirring sunset. At that point, your only risk will be running out too soon.