2011 Bodegas Hispano Suizas Pinot Noir Bassus

The Levant refers to the eastern region of Spain that follows the Mediterranean coast. The word literally means the “east coast.” Officially there are two autonomous regions within Levant, Communidad Valenciana and Murcia. The appellations within the Levant are Alicante, Utiel-Requena, Valencia, Bullas, Jumilla and Yecla. Once an area where winemaking was strictly utilitarian and mostly done to satisfy bottlers of bulk wines, the region is today home to numerous innovative wine projects, including one by Australian winemaking star Chris Ringland. Red wines from this region are made from Monastrell, which is known in southern France as Mourvèdre. The reds of this region tend to be intensely purple/red, with black fruit flavors and strong tannins.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.