Carnages

Film: Carnages (aka Carnage)

Wine: Luzon Verde, Spain, 2006 Jumilla, Certified Organic

To the right is the trailer for the beautiful and mesmerizing film Carnages, by young French film maker Delphine Gleize. I first saw this film when it came to American theatres in late 2004, and I was instantly transfixed. (not "transfished" as young Winne would say) This is one of the most poignant and provocative films I know, with imagery that winds its way into the corners of your mind, sneaking into your dreams at night.

Carnages is essentially a series of interwoven stories, connected by a single pulse. The toro, or bull, is the symbol that holds the storylines together; it is the film's skeleton, while the beautiful and captivating cinematography makes up its flesh and blood. It is the compelling and persistent musical score that gives this film it's heartbeat; it's pulse. It's an emotive sound, and just like the imagery, it stays with you, this carnal rhythm.

I revisited Carnages with a bottle of Spanish Jumilla. It doesn't have the complexity that Carnages has, but it has the heartbeat, and a language all its own. Like the film, it is vibrant, spicy, and full of life. This particular Jumilla wine was lighter bodied, with fresh fruit and black pepper notes.
Here are some facts about the Jumilla region that I found online:

Jumilla is located in the south-eastern corner of Spain near the coastal town of Alicante in the province of Murcia.
This area which encompasses 5 D.O.'s and also includes the province of Valencia, is known as the Levante.
The wine region of Jumilla covers an area of 50,808 hectares.
The influences of the dry Levante winds and breezes off the Mediterranean help produce a semi-arid climate in this region.
Jumilla has been known for its production of heavy full bodied red wines with 17% alcohol, however in recent years there has been a shift towards producing younger and lighter styles of wines.
The grape varieties permitted by the regulatory body of Jumilla for the production of red, white and rose wines are as follows:
Monastrell, Garnacha and Tintorera Cencibel for the red and rose wines.
Merseguera, Airen, Pedro Ximenez for the white wines.
At present there are 50 wineries registered in Jumilla.
The average yield is down as a result of the replanting that is taking place. In the last few years the average yield has been 150,661 hectolitres.