La del Terreno Monastrell 2022

La del Terreno is the solo project of winemaker Julia Casado, who settled in Bullas in inland Murcia after working in cellars around the world, drawn to the local Monastrell the growers here call la del terreno. This is a natural red made with minimal intervention, the grapes fermenting on their own ambient yeasts. Bullas sits at altitude in a hot, dry Mediterranean climate, and the wide swing between warm days and cool nights slows ripening so the thick-skinned Monastrell keeps acidity and aromatic lift alongside its ripe fruit. The wine spends eleven months in concrete, an inert material that lets it settle and soften without adding oak flavour, so the fruit and the site come through unmarked. Expect a deep colour and a nose of ripe plum and dark cherry over cracked black pepper, wild thyme and dried herbs. The palate is warm and savoury with a dusty, earthy grip, a touch of liquorice and firm but ripe tannins that carry a long, dry finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, ideally decanted for half an hour. Good with slow-cooked lamb, grilled red meat and roasted autumn vegetables.