The 2012 Olivares is a blend of 75% Monastrell, 15% Syrah and 10% Garnacha. It needs some air to start revealing notes of licorice and red and black fruit. It is a clean, honest, straight wine, aged for three months in 10,000-liter French oak vats. Give it a few months in bottle and enjoy with food. It represents very good value. 350,000 bottles produced. Drink 2014-2015. Bodegas Olivares was created in 1930 by the grandfather of the current owners. All their wines come from their vineyards in their Hoya de Santa Ana state in the northwest of the Jumilla appellation at 825 meters above sea level. The sandy soils with a high percentage of chalk have managed to avoid the attack of phyloxera, so today they own 110 hectares of un-grafted Monastrell averaging 45-years-old, and a further 165 hectares of Monastrell, Syrah, Garnacha and Merlot grafted onto American rootstocks. They have an annual average production of 800,000 bottles. Imported by The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA tel. (800) 999-4342; www.rarewineco.com