As you may know, we are moving.  Our last dinner gathering included two magnums that were still at the house.  I did not want to move them, so the opportunity to enjoy was present.  I did not take notes of the second bottle, the Perbrun- as I was hoping to do so the following day with what was left over.  Unfortunately, it was not as good as I had hoped and the leftovers had a ton of sediment.  It was originally $57 my price for the 2010 vintage.  Glad we started with the Spaniard!

Nearly black in the glass.  Nose is earthy, with tons of plums, black berry and violets.  The initial palate is very upfront with black, tarry fruit, ripe tannins, earth and a floral component.  The mid palate is quite dry, the tannins ruling the roost.  Eventually it transitions to a Ribena like finish with loads of rich black fruit.  Oak is present, but not overpowering.  It adds a vanilla dimension to the finish and smooths it out some. This wine is still in youth, 17 years after vintage.  It will last another 10 at least, mellowing out along the way.  93 points is what the pro’s gave this Tempranillo and I agree.  For the $40 entry fee it is a solid 4 star wine, but I am going to up it to 5 as I think this wine will evolve some more as it mellows.  I roasted two Beef Tri-tips for the pairing with an endive and frissee salad laced with Balsamic infused Shallots.  It was a grand last evening of fun in my beloved home.  Salut….

Delicious and young

Not quite as good

Dark purple in the glass.  An intriguing nose of Cloves, black pepper and blackberry.  On the palate- dark berries, ink, dust.  Delicious.  The mid palate is a smooth transition to some blue fruits including a plum reduction.  The finish has some very fine grained tannins and blueberry compote.  A very intricate wine that needs a cellar imho. Drink from 2018 to 2025.  90 points and 4 stars for this $20 effort.  Salut….

It’s been a while since I have had any 2004 Miros, but I came across this bottle when I was cellar diving. It’s a fun sport, I recommend it all the time! The wine has held up well from the looks of the ever so gently bricking colors. The purple is still evident, with just a touch of orange on the edges. On the nose, I am delighted to report some very earthy Tempranillo overtones, mixed with blueberry pie. My initial taste is fantastic, this wine has aged well. The blueberry fruit is still forthright but there is a strong sense of earth, some funky dirt and a lashing of nice acidity to go with the very fine grained tannins still swirling about. This wine is at peak. The mid palate exhibits more blue fruits and a slight dryness to go along with the layers of flavor. The finish is mostly a tannic affair with some black cherries and a tar component. Really a well made wine that I have enjoyed over the years. Drink it on its own or with some charcuterie. It will drink well for a few more years, no rush. 92 points all things considered. I paid $20 back in 2011, wishing I had bought more than just the case plus two Magnums. 5 stars for sure. Salut….

Still a dark purple after 13 years.  Nose of figs, earth and violets.  On the initial taste- not what I was expecting.  Plums, blueberries, fresh and zesty.  This wine is so young.  The tannins are very integrated but not dry.  Mid-palate wise there’s blue fruit and cassis.  The finish is where this wine shines- leather, tobacco and blue fruit jam.  Oak peeks through right at the end.  Smooth and sexy, I like this wine from Magnum.  91 points from me and a reward for cellaring it for so long.  I paid $50 per Magnum back in 2014 for this Tempranillo.  4 stars!  Salut….

A lighter purple color with a touch of orange bricking on this crianza level wine that has 7 years of cellaring.  On the nose, a subdued level of plum and dusty earth- a hallmark of the varietal.  On the palate a somewhat rustic initial attack of dark fruits, with dried oregano, earth and very dry tannins.  The acidity is somewhat lacking and is overcome by the tannins, which is not a bad thing.  The finish is decent in length and offers up more purple fruit flavors with a touch of heat.  The dryness on the gums goes on forever, which I kinda like!  The wine, at this stage of its life is giving me pause….  It has a really tannic structure yet I feel it is not able to age much more due to the low acidity.  The fruit is starting to dry up but there is not much evolution.  All in all a pop-n-pour wine that won’t break the bank at $15 and gets 88 points from me.  This 3 star effort would pair well with some charcuterie, perhaps a bowl of pasta Arrabiatta.  Salut….

Dark purple hues. In the nose- black cherry and earth, typical of Temranillo. After a few swirls in the glass I am getting a blueberry component. The initial taste is of blueberry, iodine and earth that are all fighting for pole position against the massive tannins. Acidity thankfully balances this huge wine out and makes for a gorgeous mouthfeel that may overwhelm the faint of palate. This wine begs for ribeyes, a hearty lasagna or perhaps another 5 years in a dark cellar. This is a really good, tasty wine that hits all cylinders for me. 92 points. 2018-2025 at the least.  RP gave it 91 and it got 92 from AG.  Kudos for this amazing $26 Spanish offering form Ribera del Duero.  It gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

I have always enjoyed these wines.  I don’t normally order crianza’s but gave this one a whirl. Nose of black fruits and plums after a good swirl. Somewhat one-dimensional on the first taste with loads of damson, acid and upfront tannins. Slight oak influence, but in a good way. This wine appears to be young, and may need some coaxing. After a trip through the vinturi it softens dramatically.  It’s amazing how some wines transform when given some air and allowed to breath.  More plums, some earth and cinnamon come out after aerating and the tannins are way more subdued.  The structure is interesting and I think will give this wine a long cellaring potential.  Drink from 2017-2022 unless you can send it through a Vinturi, then now is fine. 91 points from me and 5 stars for this $18 effort.  Salut….

An interesting Tempranillo blend from Spain.  The bottle label included a sticker eschewing it’s 92 point Parker rating.  It’s gotta be good then, right?

Bluish purple color in the glass that was quite dense.  Cranberry meets blackberry on the nose for an interesting mix of red and black.  Plum and hoisin on the initial attack with succinct acidity and deft tannins. I got a black tea component on the mid palate which is atypical for me and this varietal, enjoyable though. Mouth puckering juiciness on the tail end with a long finish of black berry pie made me salivate for more.
Secondary hints of tar and traces of oak appeared throughout as the wine mellowed in the glass. Still young with a drinking window of 2014-2022.  It would pair well with wild game, perhaps Gnocchi and truffle oil.  Would I go 92 points?  Nope.  It is serviceable, tasty and well made, but it lacks some complexity and I found the acidity just a hair out of balance.  91 points is more like it and for the $40 price tag, a solid 4 star wine.  Salut….

I just recalled where I got this bottle from- Total Wine for $18, it was on special as they were doing a Spanish wine tasting that day.  I’ll be back for more…  I had to look very hard to find any vintage details, but a tiny set of words ‘Cosecha 2012’ gave it away.  I was startled by the color, it was purpley purple in the glass- more so than I have ever seen in wine.  An unmistakable Tempranillo nose of tar, black fruits and earth came wafting over.  The initial profile was of earthy tar and black berries.  The wine is still young with nice tannins and a very gentle acidity, but then I noted “Wow, really young”.  Brooding black cherries on the mid to back end with a deft use of oak made this textbook and juicy, delicious.  This wine is full on, in your face Tempranillo that I can really sink my teeth into.  It is ready now but will age well for another 5-8 years.  I can’t think of a better pairing than with a big steak!  Bang for the buck, this wine rocks.  91 points and 5 stars for this Spanish beauty.  Salut….