Tag Archives: tempranillo

La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Alberdi Reserva 2016, Rioja DOCa, Spain

18 Wednesday May 2022

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Medium garnet colored, this Tempranillo has trademark aromas of leather, earthy dust, ripe blackberry, rich plum, vanilla, black cherry jam and charred wood.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and grippy tannins that coat my mouth.  The fruit is ripe and the wine is full bodied.  Black fruit flavors wrapped in a cloak of oak nuance with some signs of tertiary development make for a delicious wine.  I paid $19 for this stunning 92 pointer that gets 5 stars.  I would pair it with grilled Hangar steak and sweet potato fries.  I think this balanced and structured wine will drink well until 2030 at the least.  Salut….

Bodegas Balbas Ardal Seleccion Especial Reserva 2012, Ribera del Duero, Spain

12 Thursday May 2022

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This blend of Tempranillo and Cab Sav is nearly opaque with a bright purple color.  On the nose I get rich black plum, dusty earth, blackberry, vanilla, baking spices, menthol, some farmyard funk and bramble.  The palate is dry, quite tannic and high in acidity.  I love Spanish Tempranillo- it has such an earthy, dusty, brambly component and they throw a good bit of oak at this level (Reserva) which adds dimension, complexity and flavors/aromas of vanilla, baking spices and toast.  The black fruit is ripe and juicy- the Cabernet adding richness and grip.  The body is full and the finish is medium to long in length.  Structurally- this wine is a baby and needs some cellaring unless you like them searingly dry and astringent.  There is plenty of fruit to last a while and the whole package should drink beautifully until 2032 at the least.  I am going with 93 points and for $40 this is a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Bodegas Valduero Gran Reserva 2001, Ribera del Duero, Spain

08 Sunday May 2022

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It’s been nine years since I last tasted the 2001 Valduero, which I opened by accident.  Today’s bottle is intentional- Mothers Day Sunday roast.  It is deep garnet colored with definite signs of aging.  The nose smells divine- leather, earth, blackberry jam, cassis, mint, coffee bean, vanilla, baked blueberry and a medicinal note.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and melded tannins which caress my gums.  This 100% Tempranillo is full bodied and I get flavors of stewed/cooked black and blue fruits, earth, leather, oak influence (coffee, vanilla and the medicinal note) and a tart black cherry note on the long finish.  The tannins start to grip on the back end and cover my teeth and gums with a ‘hairy’ feeling.  This 21 year old wine is still showing youth in structure and some fruit, amazing.  It will go beautifully with our dinner and could potentially cellar some more with a drinking window out to 2027.  I paid $60 back in the day for this 95 point wine which I would award 5 stars to.  Salut….

Bodegas y Vinedos Valderiz ‘Valderiz’ 2018, Ribera del Duero, Spain

30 Wednesday Mar 2022

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This is the second bottle of the vertical, please read my previous note on the 2017 Valderiz.  Tasting will be via the Systematic Approach to Tasting.

  • Deep purple
  • Medium (+) intensity nose with aromas of blackberry, bramble, black cherry, orange peel, vanilla, black plum compote.  Youthful.
  • Dry, medium acidity, medium (+) tannins, high alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) intensity flavors of blackberry, bramble, black cherry, orange peel, vanilla, black plum compote, charcoal with a medium finish.
  • Very Good quality
  • Drink now but has potential for aging

I found this wine far more youthful than the prior vintage, showing no tertiary notes.  It is of a higher quality by half a point but I rounded down to VG, versus Outstanding.  For $30 ($5 cheaper than the 2017), you can get a better wine that I would give 93 points to and 5 stars.  Salut….

Bodegas y Vinedos Valderiz ‘Valderiz’ 2017, Ribera del Duero, Spain

30 Wednesday Mar 2022

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I attended a wine tasting course last night and ended up scoring this bottle with my team- by request.  I knew I had a newer vintage of the same wine at home so I wanted to do a vertical.  I will report on both strictly by using the Systematic Approach to Tasting.

  • Deep Ruby
  • Medium (+) nose with aromas of earthy dust, bramble, dried cherry, orange peel, black cherry, dried tarragon- this wine is developing.
  • Dry, medium (-) acidity, medium (+) tannins, high alcohol, medium (+) body, medium intensity flavors of earthy dust, bramble, dried cherry, orange peel, black cherry, dried tarragon and vanilla with a medium finish.
  • Very Good quality
  • Drink now, suitable for aging or further aging

I thought this was a little thin on the palate compared to the nose, my partners agreed.  I would give it 91 points and for $35 it gets 4 stars.  Salut….

Quinta da Foz Reserva 2017, Douro, Portugal

12 Saturday Mar 2022

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I really enjoy Portuguese wines, from the sweet dessert Ports to the crisp white Alvarinos to the beautifully meshed red blends of the Douro.  Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo) make up this wine that is a deep ruby in the glass.  The nose is awesome- black plum, blackberry, currants, charred wood, black cherry, licorice, vanilla and coconut.  The palate is delicious, tart with juicy acidity and dry.  The tannins are quite evident but they caress rather than attack the gums.  The astringency hits a bit later on the mid palate.  Pronounced flavors of black fruit, oak and licorice swirl across the palate and end up in a long finish that is quite tannic at this stage and definitely amazing.  Full bodied, this is a wine meant for the long haul and will pair nicely with my Beef Kebabs- spiced with a dry rub and served with salad.  93 points for this $30 wine makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Tinto Pesquera Reserva Especial 2010, Ribera del Duero, Spain

27 Sunday Feb 2022

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Bottle #100 in the Virtual WIne Tasting group!  We concluded the 25th tasting with this Spanish Tempranillo.  The underlying lesson of the session was the use of oak.  Our first red was made using old oak, the second bottle seeing a mix of new and old whilst this bottle would hopefully show off lots of new oak being a Reserva.

In the glass this wine is deep ruby- opaque AF.  On the nose the lesson was quite obvious- Tar, smoky, coconut, chocolate, leather, charred oak barrel, dark berries, bramble, dust and a touch of heat from the alcohol (it blew away eventually).

On the palate this wine was a touch tart at the beginning with black cherry akin to Luxardos, dried black fruit compote, spice, clove, vanilla, cinnamon and a new one- ‘Nummy”.  High tannins, medium acidity, full body and a long finish made this my WOTN that scored 18 marks.  At $50 and 92 points it get 5 stars from me- delicious stuff that worked beautifully in my oak lesson.  This wine needs a juicy leg of lamb, grilled and served with au gratin and a side of asparagus.  At 12 years of age it is just now reaching maturity and will drink nicely till 2030.  Salut….

Marques de Vitoria Gran Reserva 2011, Rioja DOCa, Spain

16 Wednesday Feb 2022

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Deep ruby, starting to turn amber- this 11 year old Tempranillo is beginning to show some age.  On the nose I get classic Rioja: dusty earth, bramble, ripe blackberries, black currants, plums, leather and loads of oak influence.  Vanilla, coconut and charred wood notes are well ingrained.  On the palate it is dry and smooth.  Very integrated tannins and great acidity set the framework up to allow dark fruit, musty and earthy flavors as well as oak nuance to interplay.  Medium (+) bodied this delight has a medium (-) finish.  This is not a bold and big wine, it is more of a seductive and silky drop that appeals to those who enjoy subtlety over brawn.  I like it and would sip it over tapas.  I think it is at peak and will drink nicely until 2028.  It gets 92 points from me and at $40 it gets 5 stars.  Salut….

Bodegas Urbina Gran Reserva 2004, Rioja DOCa, Spain

07 Monday Feb 2022

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Unsurprisingly this 17 year old wine is showing signs of age in the glass- pale garnet in color it is 50% opaque.  The nose is a melange of primary, secondary and tertiary aromas starting with ripe blackberry, plum, black currant and moving on to earthy bramble, loads of cedar, tobacco, leather and game.  I dig it.  The palate is very, very smooth.  Slightly tart, it is dry and has very fine grained tannins that are nearly integrated into the wine.  I get the same flavors as I did aromas plus a tart cherry note.  Medium to full body, medium finish and really balanced.  Delicious stuff that I am pairing with Hangar steak and baked potato.  93 points from me for this $50 Tempranillo makes it a 5 star wine that will drink beautifully till 2026.  Salut….

R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Bosconia’ Reserva 2009, Rioja DOCa, Spain

06 Sunday Feb 2022

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Our last wine for the 24th Virtual Wine Tasting was this Tempranillo Reserva.  At 12 years of age it was starting to show some garnet hues in the glass with a touch of bricking.  The nose was very earthy and jammy with stewed fruit and other aromas of age- musty root cellar, dust, game, leather and cigar box.  The vestiges of primary notes were ripe plum and dill.  The palate was not as exciting to me as the nose although I did note the wine was dry with well integrated tannins, medium acidity and had flavors of stewed plum, tart cherry, vanilla, citrus (from the oak), and cedar.  Full bodied, this wine had a long finish and is drinking at peak now.  For $30 this is a good intro to aged Spanish wines, but don’t delay!  I gave it 91 points and 5 stars.  It’s quite complex and needs to be drunk by itself to enjoy the nuances that older wines can present.  Nice stuff.  Salut….