Tasting - Southern Belle Jumilla Red Wine

 Name: Southern Belle Jumilla Red Wine

Variety: Monastrell and Syrah (percentages not listed)

Region: Murcia

Country: Spain

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $20.95

Winemaker Notes: The very first bourbon-barrel-aged wine, this lucky Spanish red gets to spend its time in uber-popular and sought-after Van Winkle barrels. The subtle notes of the bourbon barrels harmoniously balance the wine's fruit and spice throughout a nuanced, silky finish. With a label designed by the famous James Jean, this bottle will make an impressive gift for wine connoisseurs. Medium deep opaque purple color with a dark red rim. Initial aromas of redolent of blackberry and blueberry with underlying hints of red fruits give way to pleasing complex elements of vanilla and toffee. Soft, big, yet elegant mouth feel, rich, full body, density, superb balance and grip, lead to long, long finish, carrying intense ripe fruit and complex flavors. Soft, supple, dramatic, sexy wine with a compelling yummy factor that screams “drink me.”

Wine Folly Notes:

Syrah: pg. 172 - I can smell notes of the plums and tobacco the most of any of these descriptors. The blueberries are also present on the nose, but they seem to take a step backward compared to the other notes listed. I can find hints of green peppercorn or something similarly spice-like. Since this wine is a bourbon barrel-aged wine, most of these notes give way to the dry oaky flavors, but the peppercorn notes stick around. 

Monastrell: pg. 133 - I can get the blackberry notes on the nose and some slight cocoa notes along with the tobacco mentioned above. I can't say that I found any of the roasted meats that they mention as common notes for these types of wines. The black pepper is there, but it is hard to distinguish from the green pepper mentioned for syrah. 

Southern Spain Monastrell: pg. 282 - I can smell the rich blueberry aromas they mentioned along with the subtle black pepper notes. I'm not sure if I can pick out the violet they mentioned. There are also subtle hints of smoke present. 

My Review: On the nose, this wine is full of rich dark fruit notes that remind me of stewed blueberries or blackberries, along with some light smoky, and peppery notes. I can smell a dryness from the wine I assume is in no small part due to the bourbon barrel that housed this wine. The rich dark notes give way to light and floral notes. On the palate, this wine is upfront with its dry oak-forward flavor profile. The oaky notes stick around on the palate before giving way to the dark fruit notes present at the back of the palate. This wine leaves off with a dry mouthfeel. 

I did not sample this wine with any food.