When it comes to Valentine’s Day, what say’s be mine, more than flowers?  Well Tarima Monastrell’s got flowers on a wine bottle (so maybe it wants to be yours!).   Not only do you not have to water the flower on the outside of the bottle, but you can drink the delicious, delicious wine inside.  Made from Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre in France), this should be a perfect compliment to steak thanks to it’s hard edged nature, firm tannins, and strong, dark, dry, bitter-espresso flavors.  While Tarima Monastrell 2013 may not be fruity and juicy, how does it fare for Valentine’s day?

Sight:  A magenta edged core with hints of bright purple-red throughout the core.

Smell:    The nose has a hint of heat of the start, but boysenberries and blackberries start joining in, adding a lot of depth.   Mocha and espresso build in the background with a bit of vanilla.  There’s tons of fruit in the nose in general.  Little notes of black olive also come into play.

Sip:  The body is very smooth and lush, with a moderate weight and gentle brightness.  The flavors continue to go through waves of blackberry, boysenberry, and mocha.  The flavors are soft like the wine, and build with hints of black olives, black plum, and smoke.  Everything is smooth and dark.

Savor:  The ending is again loaded deeply with blackberries, plums, mocha, and olive.  The finish is moderately tannic, and lasts a decent amount of time.

Tarima Monastrell 2013 is smooth and silky, with a good mixture of flavors.  While there could be more explosiveness, everything about it is based on subtly.   The smoothness of the fruit flavors balance between jammy and fresh, mixed with a  good amount of  smoke and spice from the oak.  The price makes this a very attractive offer, with perhaps one of the silkiest bodies under $10.  If you happen to like Merlot or Malbec, then Tarima Monastrell is definitely worth trying.

Verdict:  Boysenberry, Smooth, Blackberry, Mocha
Rating: 87
Price: $9.99  –  The 2014 is Available at Wine.Com
Spain – D.O. Alicante