*tasting note at the bottom

**Part of the ‘Spanish Value Experiment

We’re down to the last 3 wines of the Spanish Value Experiment, and we’re staying put on the Balearic Islands for this one. Hailing from DO Binissalem-Mallorca comes Dos Marias Roble 2015, a young red blend, from Bodegas Macia Batle. DO Binissalem-Mallorca covers the centre of the island of Mallorca, slightly elevated at around 300m above sea level, and generally quite well provisioned for quality wine production with calcareous soils, warm summers and long dry Autumns. Despite this, most of the famous names of the island seem to be based within DO Pla I Llevant, or opt for the all-encompassing DO Mallorca. I genuinely don’t know if this is purely related to geography or the fact that all wines produced here must be made from at least 30% Mantonegro.

So, what to expect? The wine itself is a mixture of the indigenous Mantonegro, the most widely planted variety in Mallorca, supported by Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. Bodega Macia Batle has been around since 1998 and were given a boost in 2003 after being acquired by a Mallorcan businessman. Today it seems that the facilities are modern and the focus is very much on quality, although with 80 hectares of vineyards owned by the estate, quantity shouldn’t be much of an issue either!

Tasting Note

40% Mantonegro, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 20% Syrah from the estate vineyards. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 5 months in French oak. 14% ABV

Deep ruby in colour and relatively restrained on the nose, with notes of ripe plums, blackcurrants, green bell pepper, black pepper and light toast; you’d be forgiven for thinking you were drinking Cabernet Sauvignon here! Soft, ripe tannins and a decent spine of acidity give this some interest on the palate, with the black fruit profile to the fore. Just a touch of the alcohol peeks through on the finish but this does an admirable job of being an affordable, fruity and easy-to-drink wine. It likely won’t make our final cut for the tasting, but I doubt you’d be disappointed for picking this up at just over €7 a bottle. 87Pts

Purchased from Vinissimus for €7.25