In the last two days I’ve had two different vintages of this juicy, big wine from the southern Spanish region of Utiel…the 2006, which is still widely available, and the 2007, which was just released about a month ago.  The 2006, which sis months ago was a little rough, was really delicious.  The 2007 is better at this point than the 2006, but needs more time in bottle to round out.  Mestizaje is the basic wine of the winery Mustiguillo, one of the pioneers in fine wine in their region.  The wines are released under the appellation Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo, which is located in Utiel Requena in the southeastern region of Valencia.  The Mestizaje is great value at about 10€ and their two prestige blends, Finca el Terrerazo and Quincha Corral are spectacular.  The wines are blends, but based on the local grape variety Bobal.  Bobal is a unique grape variety that is widespread in the area and parts of La Mancha.  It is largely used for low quality, bulk wines, but with a lot of care, can make some really top quality wines.  It is a grape that is very high in acidity and retains its freshness in hot weather.  Though not as aromatic as some grapes it does have attractive aromas of red fruit and can sometimes have a meaty quality.   Bobal has a problem with uneven ripening and has very vigorous shoot growth….so careful selection and controlled yields are necessary to make a top quality wine.  The climate in the area is also challenging….the heat can be extreme.  Mestizaje from Bodegas Mustiguillo really shows what Bobal is capable of in a blend.  Read on for more details on the wine.  

Wine:  Mestizaje 2006/2007
Winery:  Bodegas Mustiguillo
Denominacion de Origen (DO): Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo
Alc: 14.5%
Grape varieties: 50% Bobal, 20% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Garnahca, 5% Merlot, 5% Syrah
Oak regime:  3 months aging in large oak vats followed by 8 months in lightly used French oak barrels
Price:  10€ retail in Madrid

Tasting notes
Visual:  Deep ruby purple
Nose:  2006…Quite intense red liqueur fruit and spice…really attractive….sweet.  2007…Nice sweet red fruit but a bit sharp.        
Mouth:  2006….Really lovely sweet red fruit, super ripe but very fresh with really great acidity….some smoky oak notes, especially opening up with some air.  Really long finish…tannins present yet ripe.  Great balance.  2007…nice sweet intense red liqueur fruit, but a bit alcoholic…the tannins are a bit sharp…the mouth is lacking balance, but is not bad.
Food:  The 2007 was very nice with our Cecina, a cured beef dish.

Conclusion: I was amazed at how delicious the 2006 was…just a few short months ago it was quite unpleasant, really all sharp edges with high alcohol.  Now it is perfectly in balance and so smooth!  The 2007, which is just out is better thant he 2006, but still needs some polishing…all the parts have great potential, but they are not yet integrated.  I’ll be trying it in a few months.  Goes to show you what a little patience can do!