Bobal

I had earlier blogged about this wine, which being a Vino de Pago made entirely from Bobal, must represent the pinnacle of achievement for this rather obscure grape from Utiel in Valencia. My first encounter with the grape though was in a wine from Utiel-Requena, bought from (you guessed it) that doyen of the unfamiliar supermarket wines, Marks and Spencer. There was a simple quaffing red and a rose, but there was one which was a touch more sophstiicated, but still not much above the level of an everyday wine.

Back to the grape, Bobal is the third most planted grape in Spain after Airen and Tempranillo. A vigorous grape in its native Valencia, Bobal does not grow well in other localities and it also suffers from the erratic ripening of grapes on the same plant. The grapes are high in tannins, colour and acidity but relatively low in alcohol. The wines produced are fresh and fruity and contain high levels of the antioxidant resveratrol.