This is such a great value Monastrell from Pinoso - who are specialists with this grape variety. This is a wine that delivers lots of primary berry fruit with a hint of black olive and herbal character.

Bodegas Pinoso are pretty smooth operators in Alicante, south-eastern Spain, with an approach to ecology and organic wine at the heart of everything that they do. The team are widely considered one of the leading sustainable wine producers in the country. If you have ever been to this part of Spain, you'll know it gets super warm and sunny and rainfall is relatively low. Pinoso's vineyards are planted at an average of 600m above sea level. This elevation makes for cooler nights allowing their fruit to retain that all-important acidity needed for a balanced wine. Low rainfall also means 'hydric stress' (geeky wine term). This is the process of dehydrating the vines, forcing them to work harder and in turn creating grapes - and wine - of greater richness and concentration. Thankfully, Monastrell (Mourvèdre in France) thrives in these warm climates and loves a bit of sun. It is no surprise that this is the main protagonist in Bodegas Pinoso's red and pink wines, as well as much of the red wines of this sun-baked part of the world.