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 made from the Verdejo grape.  Green/golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose as spice and golden raisins.  Full bodies.  No fruit, this is about minerals and spice.  On the palate, minerals and hay with some spice.  Good acidity.  Round texture.  Long finish.  This is good value.  Food friendly.  It will work nice with lighter pork or chicken dishes.  Pork chops would be a nice choice.  Drink over the next few years.  

I believe this is Viura.  Yellow gold in color with some green hues, clear and bright.  The nose has some minerals and smoke.  It has a viscous texture.  On the palate, this is tart with green apple notes.  Moderate finish.  A nice sipping wine that will work well with lighter foods.  Drink now.  

I am told this is Tempranillo Blanco.  Very pale yellow gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is tight but with some air show both limes and peach.  Interesting.  Slightly oily texture.  On the palate, it is somewhat candied with notes of lingonberries.  Sorter finish.  An interesting wine that would benefit from food.  Sardines might be an excellent paring.  Drink over the next year.  12% abv.  

I had the 2015 in a visit to the winery in the Sierra de Gredos mountains just west of Madrid.  It was interesting to revisit, this time at a wine bar in Charlotte, NC.  This is one of their "Village" level wines which is also much more affordable.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has sour cherries, some black cherries and thyme.  Light tannins.  On the palate, cherry, licorice and spice.  Great texture.  Delicious.  Nice on its own but better with food.  Nice finish.  This is Grenache but it is different than most with a bit of a "Pinot" profile to it as well.  Drink over the ne

This is the basic wine from this great, traditional winery.  Purchased at a Tapas restaurant, this is an excellent value.  It is a blend of Tempranillo (65%), Garnacho (25%), and the rest Mazuelo and Graciano.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, slight dill, tobacco and slight mushrooms.  Medium bodied.  Great balance.  On the palate, loads of fresh cherry fruit with just a bit of dried over a dry tobacco base.  Some spice.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but worked even better with a series of small Tapas plates.  Drink over the next eight

This is a white from the Albillo Reale grape which is an indigenous grape to Gredos. I had the 2016 five years ago while visiting the winery in the mountains west of Madrid.  This bottle was found at the Barcelona Wine Bar in Charlotte NC.  Golden in color, a bit cloudy. The nose has minerals, saline, beeswax and slight thyme note. Creamy texture.

An Eric Solomon selection sporting a new label.  This is always an excellent value that is a blend of 50% Garnacha, 30% Merlot, and 20% Syrah.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, spice, roasted herbs and slight black pepper.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is easy drinking and very tasty.  Lots of black cherry fruit with some black raspberries and cherries.  Clean.  Works great on its own and enough acidity to work well with pasta or burgers.  Drink over the next five years.  

This is made from 100% Tinto de Toro (Tempranillo) grapes in the Toro D.O. in Spain.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cassis, some anise and slight spice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, strong acidity.  Cassis and black cherry fruit.  Nice finish.  This is drinking a bit past prime it seems but still nice.  It works better with food,  A nice wine for Taco Tuesday.  Drink up.  

This is a very nice Syrah from northeast Spain (the D.O. of Somontano).  It is a unique take that is well worth exploring especially for the price.  Deep garnet in color with a ruby rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, some black raspberries, with slight dried floral notes and a hint of char/graphite.  Medium bodied.  15%abv.  On the palate, the black cherries dominate with underlying minerality.  Very tasty.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  If pressed, this has some similarities to a St.

The first bottle we opened of this was corked, but the second was sound.  It is a blend of 70% Monastrell (Mourvedre), and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  15.5% abv.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has blueberries, cassis, some black cherries, toast and baking spices.  Full bodied.  Thick and tannic at the moment.  Loads of fresh black cherries and black raspberries on the palate, with underlying spice and char.  Long finish.  This is delicious now, but needs plenty of time to develop.  Cellar for five to ten years and drink for twenty after that.  Right now it will be a diffic