Tempranillo - January 17th, 2012 - Ms. Ardela

Tempranillo - January 17th, 2012 - Ms. Ardela

Wikipedia: Tempranillo (red wine varietal) The Tempranillo grape is the dominant grape varietal in Spain's Rioja wines. It produces a medium to full-bodied red wine with lower acidity and full fruit flavor characteristics. These wines are grown primarily in the Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions of Spain. The earliest existence of the grape in La Rioja dates to 873.

Classification of Rioja wines: Rioja (youngest), Crianza (aged at least 2 years and at least 1 in oak), Rioja Reserva (aged at least 3 years and at least 1 in oak), and Rioja Gran Reserva (aged at least 2 yrs in oak and 3 yrs in the bottle).

Pairings: tapas, pork, grilled or roasted entrees, Middle Eastern Cuisine, Spanish Food (obviously), blue cheese, aged cheddar, goat cheese, manchego, olives, hamburger, roast lamb, grilled meats

Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wine: 2000 Anciano Gran Reserva Tempranillo - $7.99 at CostCo
100% Tempranillo

1) 2004 Coto De Imaz Rioja - $21.99 @ Le Caveau
13.5% alcohol
100% Tempranillo
Color: ruby, translucent, light long legs,
Nose: small whiff of alcohol, sweet cherry, herbal, "peppery goodness"
Palate: light, tart, pepper, tobacco
Other Comments: Our guest visiting from Austria really liked this one. One of Abbie's Faves

2) 2009 Toro - $8.99 @ Total Wine
14.5% alcohol
100% Tempranillo
Color: garnet, heavier, long grippy legs
Nose: darker, faint pepper, jammier/New World (Leslie's comment)
Palate: dark chocolate, cacao, slight pepper, dark cherry & plum beneath the surface, blackberry, plum/spice,
Other Comments: would be good with meat and sausages

3) 2006 Spanish Vines Crianza - $15.99 @ Total Wine
14% alcohol
100% Tempranillo
Color: garnet, gorgeous, lingering legs
Nose: dark maple syrup, nose like port, tobacco
Palate: hibiscus, honeysuckle, vanilla, sweet floral with slightly bitter end on the tongue
Other Comments: n/a

4) 2008 Artero Crianza - $10.99 @ Total Wine
14% alcohol
50% Merlot, 50% Tempranillo
Color: darker, lingering legs,
Nose: aroma of earthiness, mushroom, dark berry
Palate: tastes of leather, has pucker in the mouth, but also a pucker at the end in the throat, similar to sweet tart candies, raspberry, some pepper
Other Comments: Label says compote, roasted coffee, balsalmic, "I could get a sweet tart necklace outta this" - Deb, Ardela's fave!

5) 2004 De Restia Crianza - Ribera Del Duero - $17.99 @ Minks
100% Tempranillo
Color: garnet, long legs, darker color, lovely legs
Nose: Almost too much alcohol smell, very "in-your-face", bold, takes the breath away, liquor smell not rubbing alcohol, wonderful like raw cinnamon,
Palate: dark chocolate dipped strawberries, some floral/petal at the end, disappointing mouth-feel, maybe needs more air?
Other Comments: "Spoiled-little-bratty-pouty-red" - Deb, "We need a TWIT-er Twitter" - Deb, "day-old-penny-loafers" - Susan

6) 2006 Beronia Reserva - $24.99 @ (liquor store across the way on Windy Ridge Pkwy)
14% alcohol
100% Tempranillo
Color: dark garnet
Nose: earthy, oaky, vanilla, new leather furniture, cigar box
Palate: lingering milky chocolate mouth-feel, smoky, slight pepper, hickory, barbeque
Other Comments: "would be a good "food wine", good with meat, "watery-kool-aid but in a good way", Wolfgang's Fave!

7) 2008 St. Amant California - $19.99 @ Total Wine
15.5% alcohol
100% Tempranillo
Color: light garnet
Nose: delicious, pepper nose,
Palate: smooth, dry, oaky, goodness, raspberry, compote
Other Comments: "Old World Nose and New World Taste" - Leslie, "Gives me the chills", sits on your tongue, punch in the back of the throat like whisky/bourbon gooey cluster, Deb's Fave, Nickey's Fave!

8) 2009 Creta Roble Ribera Del Duero - $19.99 @ Total Wine
14.5% alcohol
100% Tempranillo
Color: dark ruby, like it has an oily film on top?
Nose: perfumey nose, strong, BAM, savory, strawberry jam, dark overpowering nose
Palate: young, no complexity in the mouth, cigar-ish, some tobacco, dry-tart finish, flat finish.
Other Comments: Not impressed. doesn't speak to me.

9) Greener Vines La Mancha Vinidela Tierra de Castille - $9.99 @ Sam's Club
13% alcohol
80% Tempranillo, 20% Grenacha
Color: cloudy, dark garnet
Nose: floral nose, some pepper,
Palate: bit of citrus, blood orange or grapefruit, some mint, bubblegum, butter, meaty, tart finish, front-palate-oriented
Other comments: Winemaker: Lorenza Delgado, "more herbal orange, not tasty orange"

10) 2008 Riveray - $12.00 @ Vinings Bottle Shop
13% alcohol
100% Tempranillo
Color: more brownish in color, brick red
Nose: nutty aroma, coconut/walnut, less alcoholic smell
Palate: cherry, plum, dark fruit
Other Comments: One of Abbie's Faves, Love it!