Are there winemakers whose wines you seem to be drawn to? I know that there might be some people out there who will find that question rather weird because they feel that a winemaker doesn't really have a style of wine they create, they just simply, create wine. I must respectfully disagree with those people as I think that each winemaker displays in the making of their wines, their own unique palate expectations for the specific wine varietals they choose to work with. As an example, I can always spot a Peju or Beaulieu Vineyards (BV), Cabernet Sauvignon, which by the way are two of my absolute favorites. I think that if you are someone who simply drinks wine without any specific varietal expectations or expectations in general other than to either enjoy it in the pool or use it as an occasional substitution for beer, that thinking might be fine for you and that certainly is your prerogative. I however do believe that as a persons general inquisitiveness about wine turns more serious so does their expectations of wine become more defined or precise. I am also of the opinion that a specific varietal of wine should have certain specific characteristics in general and while slight deviations or differences based upon AVA or soil and weather are all well and good, in the end a Cabernet Sauvignon should taste as well as look (it's not a white wine) like a Cabernet Sauvignon. I guess the bottom line here is that while we are certainly all welcome to enjoy whatever wine(s) suits our particular palate, the wine industry should be policing itself and should form some set of varietal standards that wines have to at least semi closely adhere to. As an example, one of the winemakers I follow is Matt Parish and I buy his wines from the on-line wine club, Naked Wines (
https://us.nakedwines.com//). I follow Matt because his red wines are always on point and while I certainly would not use the word "approachable" in reference to his wines as they certainly do have a serious and robust edge to them, Matt has a style that I prefer when I am looking for a serious red wine (always). These wines are geared more towards the old school red wine lover, those who desire refinness and at the same time, boldness to their reds. Speaking of Matt, today I will be reviewing one of his wines and I'm excited to taste what he has put together in this particular red so let's get to it right now.
Today I am reviewing the 2019 Matt Parish, Montierrasant. The wine uses a real cork which is always a nice touch in my book and comes in at 14.5% alcohol. The wine costs me $14.99 and it's grapes come from Spain. The wine is a red blend of mostly Grenache (Granacha in Spain) but there is also a little bit of "old vine" Carignane thrown in for "depth and complexity" as Matt himself has informed me. Another interesting thing concerning this wine is that the vines the Greanache comes from are 35 years old....interesting. The wine also was aged "....in a combination of barrels and tanks for 12 months" according to Matt as well.
Let's talk label now for a bit before I actually get into the tasting of the wine. This is label that is very similar to the label on Matts last wine I reviewed
(https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2021/05/2019-matt-parish-pilot-hill-gang-red.html) which was the 2019 Pilot Gang and also a red blend. I had an issue with that label as I didn't care for the contrast between the top half of it and the bottom half. While this wines label uses the same style, I find it works a bit better due to the colors used. While I am not 100% sold on it, I can deal with it.
As I move to the bouquet part of this review I am curious as to what this wine will present here on the nose since I am not that all that familiar with either the Grenache or Carignane varietals and I will be doing some learning myself as I go. Immediately out of the gate I want you to know that starting off the wines bouquet presentation there is a big peppery note that comes rushing up from my glass and in my humble opinion is a great way to start off this review. Following this up I am getting a nice cherry note here as well. Adding to these two notes is the slightest bit of an old leather note and I have to say, I didn't expect that in such a young wine. This old leather note adds to the wines very nice bouquet and brings a sense of seriousness to the wine in general. What I find really interesting about this wines bouquet is that it just does not stop guys. Even when I let the wine sit in the glass for a while, the bouquet just keeps on going. This wines nose is in your face and has my mind going crazy thinking about what the wine will actually taste like.
On the palate now, I should tell you that I am smiling as the wine is by no means shy. That pepper I got on the nose certainly does mean business as it translates over to the palate so very nicely. This peppery note makes its presence known immediately here on the palate just as it did on the nose. That cherry note I picked up on the nose also is exposed here as well and it goes very nicely with the pepper. Next up is a wonderful cinnamon note which goes rushing across the palate but in a gentle yet effective and not attacking type of a way. In combination, these notes work amazingly well together and offer up a juiciness as well as an in your face vibrancy. Adding to this wonderful experience is another note that made the trip from the nose to the palate which is that bit of leather (which will increase with age) and comes into play just after the mid-palate and I have to say, it is most definitely well placed and again, not another note that is overdone and delicious. As much as I hate to say this, what really sets this wine off is it's jammy characteristic. For me to compliment jamminess in a wine is a huge feat and almost unheard of as I normally hate the note. I have to say though guys that in this wine it really works out well and I enjoyed it. So....as I sit back on my leather sofa, in my study with thousands of classic books, and smoke my Cuban cigar....wait, what? Hold on a minute, let me try that again. So.....as I sit here outside in my canvas chair I got online at Amazon and sip on this wine from my non crystal glassware from the kitchen cabinet, my mouth just feels as if it is almost being attacked a sense of sophistication and that jamminess. Each sip I take of this wine is consistent and from the first sip to the last sip left in the bottle the wine presents the same vibrancy and robustness throughout. Topping this wine off I am also getting a bit of a smoke note here as well. When put all together this wine really make its mark on my palate and is certainly a very well crafted, balanced and robust wine not meant for the weak of heart.
Here we guys, finishing this review up. The first thing that I need to tell you to do is to break out the chocolate because that is what this wine is screaming for. I said it before and I must say it again, this is an expressive wine in both the nose as well as the palate and neither areas seem to understanding the meaning of the word, moderation. Don't allow this to deter you guys because when it comes to this particular wine that is a good thing. While I did review this wine without food as I review all of my wines, I can most definitely see this wine pairing well with a peppery chicken or even a quality steak very nicely. I mentioned earlier as well, the wine does exhibit a noticeable bit of jamminess but here in this wine, it simply works and because of that, the wine itself just wouldn't be the same without it. I was actually really impressed (shocked actually) that this wine worked so well with a jamminess note as normally that note just destroys a wine for me. I think that everything else the wine offered up kind of covered just a bit for the jamminess yet without lessening its palate presentation too much. So, there you have it folks, my review of the 2019 Matt Parish, Montierrasan. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 93 points.
The Desert Wine Guy
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