Wines of Alicante: Monastrell, Fondillón and what to pour with dinner
Alicante on Spain’s Mediterranean coast is known for beaches and rice dishes. Fewer people know it has one of the oldest wine traditions in the country, and a wine called Fondillón that is genuinely strange and wonderful. If you host dinners, these are bottles worth having in your back pocket.
The dry reds: Monastrell
The signature grape of the region is Monastrell (called Mourvèdre in France). The vines grow in hot, dry, sunny conditions and give small, dark, thick-skinned berries. The wines are deep in colour, rich in dark fruit, often with notes of herbs and a savoury edge, and are usually fairly full-bodied.
What to cook with it:
- Slow-roasted lamb with rosemary and garlic
- Stews and braised short ribs
- Hard cheeses such as aged manchego
- A cassoulet-style bean dish
How to serve it: slightly cooler than room temperature, around 16 to 18 degrees C. Open it 30 minutes ahead, or decant it. Young Monastrell can taste tight until it breathes.
The rare one: Fondillón
Fondillón is a sweet-ish, amber-brown wine made from Monastrell grapes left on the vine until they are almost raisins, then aged for years in old oak. It has an old-fashioned, nutty taste, with dried fruit, toffee, coffee and a hint of a sherry-like oxidation. It is not cheap and not always easy to find in Canada, but a small bottle can make an evening.
Historically it was admired by European courts, and it has a protected status. It is a good example of a wine that tastes of time.
What to serve with it: blue cheese, roasted almonds, dark chocolate, a plain almond cake. Pour small glasses. It is for sipping and talking.
The light side: Moscatel
On the hillier northern part of the coast, Moscatel de Alejandría and related grapes make lively white wines, some dry, some sweet. They are aromatic, with notes of orange blossom, peach and honey. Chill them well.
What to serve: salads with citrus and fennel, grilled shrimp, a plate of fresh fruit, or a light dessert such as a lemon tart.
How to buy
- Look for the protected origin (DOP Alicante) on the label. It tells you the grapes come from the region.
- Ask your wine merchant for Monastrell from Alicante specifically. Prices in Canada for good bottles tend to be modest compared with equivalent wines from better-known regions.
- Expect a range. At the low end, Monastrell is simple and fruity; at the high end it can age for years.
A dinner party menu with Alicante in mind
- Welcome: chilled Moscatel with almonds and olives
- Main: roast lamb, potatoes with paprika, green beans, with a Monastrell
- Cheese: aged manchego and a blue cheese
- Dessert: an almond cake and a small glass of Fondillón (or a similar sweet wine if you cannot find one)
A note on context
Winemaking in dry regions depends on the weather, and like many Mediterranean producers, Alicante’s growers deal with drought and changing conditions. Buying a bottle from a small producer is a modest way to support people who farm in a demanding place. If you are curious about a producer you like, many have a website with a story about their land.