Tag Archives: tempranillo

Bodegas Balbas ‘Pagos de Balbas’ 2021, Ribera del Duero, Spain

08 Monday Jul 2024

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Deep ruby colored with light staining and a high viscosity (15% ABV).  Medium (-) intensity aromas of charred oak, black cherry, blackberry, coconut and dill plus a generous wafting of alcohol that is noticeable.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium tannins that dissipate rapidly.  Flavors of black cherry, blackberry, coconut, dill, mint, coffee and some char lead to a medium (-) length finish.  This is a young wine but is drinking nicely now and will develop over time.  It gets 89 points from me as I feel the alcohol throws it out of balance.  This Tempranillo runs $23 and gets 4 stars.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Vinedos y Bodegas Gormaz ‘Catania’ Reserva 2017, Ribera del Duero, Spain

06 Saturday Jul 2024

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Deep ruby with some copper and orange highlights and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black plum, blackberry, vanilla, baking spice, coconut shavings, mint, tobacco, loam and leather.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are a still quite grippy after 7 years.  Ripe black fruit with healthy yet well done oak treatment which gives me vanilla, coconut, baking spice and coffee.  Dried herbs with loam, mint, leather and tobacco round out the flavor profile.  The finish is long yet a touch astringent and tangy from the acidity.  It’s still youthful in structure even thought the aromas and flavors are developing nicely- it’s a bit disjointed.  I would love to revisit in a year or two, I think it has lots of potential and will score it accordingly at 91 points.  For under $20 it’s worth stocking the cellar with this Spanish Tempranillo that gets 5 stars.  Drink from 2025 till 2030.  Salut….

Conde Bel Varela Gran Reserva 2010, Rioja, Spain

16 Saturday Mar 2024

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Medium garnet with a touch of bricking, light staining and a high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of dusty earth, desiccated plum, dried coconut slivers, dried dill, black plum reduction, blueberry jam and a bacon streak.  The palate is dry with medium acidity,medium body and medium tannins that are fully integrated.  Flavors of dried/desiccated blue and black fruit combined with oak nuance and dusty earthiness that is a telltale off the region and of the Tempranillo grape.  The finish is medium (-) in length and focuses on tertiary notes of tobacco, tar, dust and dried herbs.  I fear this wine is just past peak so I had better drink up.  I like it, but the points will reflect the lack of further development.  I paid $20 per bottle and will give it 89 points making it a 4 star effort.  It’s grilled lamb for the pairing btw.  Drink now.  Salut….

Senorio de Villarrica Reserva 2018, Rioja DOCa, Spain

01 Friday Mar 2024

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Deep garnet colored with medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose of this Tempranillo has medium (+) intensity aromas of vanilla, coconut, back plum, black cherry, tobacco, dust, cassis, Maduro wrapper, mint, dried green herbs, dried orange peel and blueberry compote.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are chalky.  Flavors of black plum, black cherry, cassis, coconut, vanilla, baking spice, dusty earth, mint and tobacco persist to a long finish.  I’m impressed with this wine’s complexity and balance- 92 points from me and 5 stars since it runs $23.  I believe it has great cellaring potential, till 2033 but is drinking beautifully now.  Pairing tonight with Shish Kebabs.  Salut….

Massaya Classic – Le Colombier Rouge 2020, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

27 Tuesday Feb 2024

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Medium ruby with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV) and it looks unfined/unfiltered.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black raspberries, licorice, charred oak, coffee, cardamom, red plum and white pepper.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (+) tannins.  Flavors of black raspberry and licorice dominate with plum, pepper, coffee, cardamom and violet supporting.  The alcohol is quite noticeable btw.  The tannins are very fine grained and quite prominent throughout.  The finish is long with red fruit and some spice.  It says to serve this blend of 35% Grenache Noir, 35% Cinsault, 30% Tempranillo slightly chilled….  I like it just fine at room temp and think it gets 89 points.  For  $22 it gets 4 stars from me.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Finca Nueva Crianza 2018, Rioja DOCa, Spain

15 Thursday Feb 2024

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Deep ruby, inky with slight staining and high viscosity (14% ABV).  Aromas of vanilla, baking spices, ripe blackberry, violets, blackcurrant ganache, mocha and blueberry pie.  Dry with medium acidity, medium tannins and a full body. Flavors of  blackberry, dusty earth, violets, blackcurrant, blueberry and vanilla lead to a medium (+) length finish that has some baking spice warmth.  The tannins are delightful and silky.  91 points for this Tempranillo that runs $17 makes it a 5 star wine.  Drink till 2030.  Salut…. 

Torres Coronas Tempranillo 2016, Catalunya, Spain

19 Sunday Nov 2023

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity legs in the glass (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of blackberry, dusty bramble, oaky spice, vanilla, leather, dill and desiccated plum.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins that are fully melded into this medium bodied wine.   I get flavors of blackberry, bramble, a dusty component, leather and well integrated oak nuance.  This is a very smooth wine with a lovely mouthfeel that lasts for a short to medium finish.  It’s at peak now and will go nicely with lighter meat dishes as the flavors are not as pronounced as the nose.  I paid $12 as it was a bin-end, available for $15 online.  It gets 88 points from me and 4 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

Aldi Specially Selected Reserve 2018, Rioja, Spain

09 Monday Oct 2023

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose is earthy with dried plum, black berry, vanilla, dust, graphite and aloe.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins that are pretty smooth.  The medium weight body carries the oak laced dark fruit along to a medium length finish that is fresh with a touch of red fruit.  The earthy nature of a classic Rioja shows itself in this $9 wine that has been aged for 30 months in oak.  I like it- 90 points worth which makes this Aldi branded Tempranillo a 5 star effort to stock up on.  It’s a great value.  Drink till 2026 with hearty meat dishes.  Salut….

Terra d’Uro ‘La Enfermera’ 2021, Toro, Spain

29 Friday Sep 2023

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose on this Tempranillo has medium intensity aromas of black plum, charred oak, licorice, candied black cherry, dusty earth and acai berry.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins that are a touch astringent and grippy.  Flavors of sour black cherry, black plum, licorice and brambly earth coat my mouth in this full bodied wine. The finish is short to medium in length and a touch tart and bitter.  Overall this $ 12 bottle gets 87 points from me making it a 4 star effort to drink till 2026.  Salut….

Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010, Rioja DOCa, Spain

30 Wednesday Aug 2023

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Here’s the preamble- I fell in love with this wine when I bought a 1990’s vintage and it blew my socks off.  When I saw this newest vintage on sale (it’s not made every year), I snagged 4 bottles for my buddy and I.  The next month it garnered top spot in Wine Spectator’s Annual award and its price shot up 80% overnight.  This particular bottle travelled to the English countryside after a trip across the Atlantic and was popped that night, buyer beware.

Medium garnet with some wall staining and high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of sweet oak, ripe blackberry, coconut, dried dill, fig, walnut, brown sugar, steeped plum, vanilla cream and tobacco. Medium acidity, medium (+) tannins that are fine grained and well integrated plus a full body.  Silky smooth with melded flavors of oak nuance, ripe black fruit, nuts and some tertiary development – yet it lacked the telltale dusty notes I usually get from Rioja. A long finish upped the scores on this wine as I felt it was slightly underwhelming from my expectations-  still a spectacular wine that gets 94 points from me and at the current price of $230 it only grabs 3 stars on my scale.  A blend of Tempranillo that was aged in American oak with 15% Mazuelo (Cariñena) that has French oak aging.  Drink till 2035 but careful with pairing it too aggressively, it’s delicious all by itself.  I’m going to revisit in a few years and not subject the bottle to a bumpy airplane ride.  Salut…