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
This is 100% Carignan from Priorat on the east coast of Spain. Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is nice with cherries, spice, anise and slight char. Full bodied. On the palate, this is a big wine. Medium tannins. Loads of cherry fruit with underlying char and anise. Good balance. Long finish. This is delicious. It should get better with a few more years of ageing, but either way, it should drink well for the next twelve to fifteen years. Great on its own, this needs big food such as roasted lamb.
From one of the more interesting vineyard areas anywhere, just to the west of Madrid and at around 3,000 feet in altitude with sandy soils over granite, come some of the more interesting Garnacha (Grenache) wines to be found. This one is amazing. Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright. Great nose with cherries, cranberries, but also black raspberries and blueberries with baking spices, slight floral note (rose hips?) and slight earthiness/fresh mushrooms. Full bodied. Great energy and balance. On the palate, black cherries with some black raspberries with underlyi
This is a white wine from Rioja in Spain. It is a blend of 60% Chardonnay, and 40% Viura. Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose has citrus, spice, with a slight balsamic note. Medium bodied. On the palate, this is refreshing but also has some complexity. Good acidity. The citrus carries thru with the underlying dry earth. Moderate finish. This drinks well on its own, but works better with food. Gaxzpacho would be a nice pairing. Drink over the next couple of years.
This is the second wine of Pingus, but that doesn't seem fair to call it a "second" wine. Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is great with plums, cherries, black cherries but also some black licorice and spice. Full bodied. This had been decanting for a few hours and was still young and tannic. On the palate, notes of black cherries, cherries and spice. Very ripe but no noticeable heat or alcohol. Medium tannins. Good finish. This is drinking well now but should still improve over the next ten years. Drink over the next twenty. A nice match for hearty beef or por
This is 100% Verdejo from Spain. A delightful white that is made from organic grapes using socially conscious production methods. Light golden in color with greenish hues, clear and bright. The nose is very nice with a bit of lemon lime, tangerine, and honey dew. Light bodied and refreshing. On the palate, tangerine/oranges with some underlying spice. Crisp and clean, this drinks easy. Nice on its own, this will work with lighter foods such as fruit salads or chicken salad. Drink over the next year or two to enjoy its freshness.
