Today I am tasting the 2006 Castroviejo Tempranillo from Bodegas Pastor Diaz in Rioja, Spain. I am not sure I’ve gotten the name right since it is so confusing on the bottle. In fact Pastor Diaz is only present on the foil. Not the best of branding. I found this wine for under $9. I believe this wine is aged in Oak for 6 months.
Color
The color is typical of tempranillo and is deep red.
Aroma
The first thing that I noticed is the oak. It is a bit strong. There is also blackberry and plum. Not a bad nose, just a little muted.
Flavor
Again there is strong oak present. But the fruit is good. On the attack, I get mainly dark fruit such as blueberry and blackberry. The mid-palate continues with the same fruit plus some sour cherry. This wine finishes very strong with a bit of a coffee flavor. I really like the finish. This is a pretty bold flavored wine and I’d try it with some intense cheese like parmigiano.
Rating
I think this wine has potential, but wish it has less oak so the real flavors would dominate more. I rate it 87 points.
I love a good Tempranillo, but it’s hard to find one that doesn’t taste too jammy. Any suggestions?
Beth,
Then this is probably not the right match for you. It is definitely fruit forward as are most Tempranillo based wines. You may want to try the 2008 Campos Reales Tempranillo which has a little more vegetable character to it. Or you could look for a blend of Tempranillo and another grape such as Garnacha (Grenache).