Spain

• Alicante
• Andalusia
• Campo de Borja
• Castilla y Leon
  • Bierzo
• Catalonia
• Jerez
• Jumilla
• Madrid
• La Mancha
• Manchuela
• Méntrida
• Montsant
• Navarra
• Pais Vasco (Basque)
• Priorat
• Rias Baixas
• Ribera Del Duero
• Ribera del Guadiana
• Rioja
• Rueda
• Terra Alta
• Toro
• Valdeorras
• Valdepeñas
• Valencia
• Yecla

This is 100% Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain.  It is very traditional in style.  It opened quickly before shutting down and was just starting to reopen when my glass was empty.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, spice, slight vanilla and slighter anise.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  The cherries and anise come thru to the palate with a slight balsamic note.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  Nice on its own but better with some food.  A nice match for meatloaf with a tomato based sauce.  Drink over the next five to eight years.

This is made from 100% Viuraa grapes in Rioja, Spain.  Light yellow in color with a touch of green, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with limes, slight grapefruit and a hint of green apples.  Light bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is refreshing with limes and slight apples.  Clean.  Nice finish.  It drinks nicely on its own and would work nicely with lighter foods especially sea food dishes.  Drink over the next year or two.  

This blend of 45% Tempranillo, 45% Garnacha Tinta with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in, this wine, made with organic grapes, is truly a stellar piece of winemaking considering it’s $13 price tag. Not only is it seamlessly blended but the acidity supports the impeccable fruit of blackberry, black cherry, plum, cassis, and light blueberry. There’s a solid core of acidity that runs through this supporting the structure of the wine. A scant four months of aging in small French oak accentuates the fruit.

This is a blend of 45% Tempranillo, 45% Garnacha, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon (all grapes are organic) made in Spain for Argentinian producer Domaine Bousquet.  Garnet in color with some blue hues, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, clay and chocolate notes.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, black cherries, spice and char.  Moderate finish.  This is a lighter, easy drinking red that will be good for summer parties (especially given the price).  Nice on its own, this will work well with a burger off the grill.  Drink over the next few years.

This is a 375ML bottle of dessert wine purchased at the winery in Spain.  It is made from the white grape Abillo.  Sadly it was corked.  Under the TCA it seemed good.  Oh well, I guess I need to go back to the winery.  

This is an Albariño from Spain.  While I truly love many of the Albariños we are now seeing from California, its hard to justify spending that kind of money when Spain offers wines like this for $30.  Very light silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is mineral driven with a touch of wild thyme, salinity and maybe some crushed shells.  Light bodied.  Nice texture.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is dry.  The minerality continues and the crushed shell notes get louder.  Good finish.  This is refreshing on its own but better with food.  A great choice for grilled shrimp.  

This is 100% Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo) from Ribera del Duero in Spain.  Deep garnet in color with some purple hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is more classic with black cherries, cherries, anise, slight coffee and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Good balance.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Loads of red cherries with some black cherries along with a bit of coffee and spice.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  This would work well with roasted duck or chicken.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  

This is a beautiful 100% Tinto del Pais (Tempranillo) from Ribera del Duero in Spain.  It is a great example of the style of wine often found in RdD these days.  It's a bit more "modern" and fruit forward than classic Rioja (the region next door).  Purple in color with a think ruby rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, slight cherries, black raspberries, fresh tobacco, baking spice and slight char.  Great energy and balance.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, this is big but not overdone.  Delicious.  Flavors of black cherries, black raspberries, char