Los Frailes Monastrell Rosado

Warm colours and natural materials. Any decorating aficionado would know that these two characteristics are typical of the Provençal style, a classic, elegant, relaxed and romantic trend. This style, which is taking homes by storm, is also creeping into wineries; and not only in their tasting rooms, but also in their bottles. If you had to find a wine to go with this style, it would undoubtedly be Los Frailes Monastrell Rosado.

Los Frailes Monastrell Rosado is a wine made by Casa los Frailes, in the D.O. Valencia, specifically in the Alforins Valley, where Monastrell is grown. This variety, which currently occupies 70% of the 130 hectares of this winery, is made in a similar way as in Bandol (in Provence, France) where some of the world’s most renowned rosé wines are produced. Specifically, this variety, which was brought to southeastern Spain by the Phoenicians, was imported by the French. Now, after centuries, Casa los Frailes is once again trying to recover production with this variety by emulating its northem neighbours.

The Monastrell used to make Los Frailes Monastrell Rosado comes from several plots on the estate, where the vineyards are planted at an altitude of 650 metres above sea level on deep, silty-sandy alluvial soils. This surface is richer than the rest of the estate’s soils, so it is home to a large number of ecosystems and microorganisms that are extremely beneficial to the vine and are fully respected. In fact, Casa los Frailes was one of the first Spanish wineries to carry out biodynamic agriculture, finally achieving organic and biodynamic certification in 2019. In general, the vineyards are an average of 25 years old and are trained using the bush method. This means that the vines are cared for entirely by hand, including the harvest.

Once in the winery, where only the best clusters are used, Los Frailes Monastrell Rosado goes into a pneumatic press where the must is made. From there, the juice is transferred to stainless steel tanks where Los Frailes Monastrell Rosado ferments at a controlled temperature. During this process, while the yeasts are working, occasional pump-overs are also essential to promote oxygenation and colour extraction. Once fermentation is complete, Los Frailes Monastrell Rosado is aged on the lees where battonnage will be carried out to obtain a glyceric and unctuous rosé.