I HAVE a great find for you this week from the Utile Requena area of North East Spain - near the port of Valencia – called the Pasion de Bobal 2010. The Bobal variety is indigenous to this part of Spain and is a deep, dark-skinned grape which has a similar depth to Monestrall (Mouvedre), but is slightly lower in alcohol.

The wine is made from old, low-yielding vines up to 20 to 30 years old, which add a rich depth of flavour to this fully-organic tipple. The wine has a deep and luscious purple hue in the glass and is followed on the nose by hints of oak, violets, liquorice and plums. This is then followed by a wave of spice, pepper and red fruits with a firm tannic feel in the mouth and a lingering length to finish, making this a real winter warmer.

Try it with hearty winter dishes or hard mature cheeses. Pasion de Bobal 2010 is available from Booths at £9.99 a bottle.

  • Graeme Hedley is sommelier and expert on food and wine at Kendal College’s Lakes Hotel School