2008 Toscar Monastrell

On March 4, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Toscar Monastrell by Salvador Proveda from Alicante, Spain. This wine is made from primarily, if not 100%, Mourvèdre (Monastrell) grape variety and was under $9. I have previously tasted the 2007 Toscar Monastrell over multiple days and will do the same with this vintage.

Day One

The wine has just been uncorked.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark purple color. Very pretty.

Aroma

Initially I get leather and oak components on the nose of this wine. There is also a very nice black currant aroma combined with a hint of mint. Finally I detect a little earthiness from it which reminds me of dark, rich compost soil.

Flavor

The attack is very vegetal. There is a distinctive broccoli flavor to it. In the mid-palate cherry cola starts to take over with an emphasis on the cola. Sweet tannins show up on the finish. It exhibits a very long finish. I am still getting the cherry on the finish. This is definitely an Old World style of wine and will pair really well with rich dishes particularly those grilled meats.

Rating

This is a interesting vintage for this wine. I like it and rate it 87 points.

Day Two

The wine has been recorked and and then opened again after 24 hours.

Aroma

The nose of this wine has opened up and the dark fruit is now dominating it. Rich, almost Creme de Cassis like aromas of black currants and blackberries combine with just a hint of sulfur. It is really a good nose today.

Flavor

On the attack the blackberry flavor is very prominent and transitions to black cherry in the mid-palate. The tannins are more bitter on the finish than yesterday and there is some black pepper components as well. Overall it is a lot more of a New World style wine than the first day. None of the vegetable flavors are present.

Rating

I like this wine, but it has definitely become a simpler, more New World leaning style. I rate it 88 points.

Summary

I enjoyed this wine on both days and found it really educational to watch it go from being Old World on day one to New World on day two. I recommend you try the same experiment on your own and share your findings here. It would be fascinating to determine if this wine consistently shows this pattern or if it is partly my palate changing. It also might show a strong relation to how this wine will age. Agreed?

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2007 Torres Mas Rabell

On February 22, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Torres Mas Rabell from the Catalunya region of Spain. This wine is a traditional Mediterranean blend of half Garnacha (Grenache) and half Carinena (Carignan) grapes. It was acquired for under $9 and has been aged in oak for 6 months.

Color

In the glass it is a pretty ruby red.

Aroma

On the nose this wine exhibits a mixture of strawberry and blackberry cobbler aromas. There is also some wet compost enriched soil components and a hint of the oak. Pretty strong nose.

Flavor

On the attack there is a lot of cherry. In the mid-palate I get quite a nice flavor of the tannins and it finishes acidic with sour cherry which lingers. This is a medium bodied wine which will pair well with pork and winter vegetables. I think the dryness (astringency) and tannins of the Carignan is well balanced by the Grenache.

Rating

I think this is a food friendly wine and recommend it with a meal. I rate it 87 points.

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2007 Arturo Garcia Bierzo Hacienda Sael

On February 17, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Arturo Garcia Beirzo Hacienda Sael from Spain. This bottle of 100% Mencia grape based wine was purchased for under $8. It will be interesting to taste the Sael Estate’s tintobeirzo.

Color

In the glass it is a dark ruby red in color.

Aroma

On the nose there is a earthy, barnyard component at first. It is one of the strongest aromas I’ve come across in a while and could turn off some. Even for me it is a bit challenging. It is followed by fresh mint component and cherry notes.

Flavor

On the attack there are some good black cherry and strawberry flavors. The mid-palate has nice sour cherry notes and the brief finish shows mild tannins. This is a light to medium bodied wine which pairs well with garlic chicken dishes.

Rating

This is an interesting wine and will definitely do better with food. Even so it has astonishing aromas and will not match every palate. I strongly recommend decanting it to see if the aroma changes for the better. I rate it 80 points.

I’d love to hear your tasting notes as this wine is definitely different than a lot of Spanish fruit bombs.

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2007 Dominio de Eguren Tempranillo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla

On February 3, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Tempranillo by Eguren from Spain. This Tempranillo based wine was purchased for under $8.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark purple, but very thin.

Aroma

On the nose there is black currant and oak. There is also a licorice component and damp leaf litter from the forest floor. Not uncommon for this varietal.

Flavor

On the attack it is simple. With nothing much more that a sweet raspberry note. The mid-palate then explodes with sour cherries which hang around through the finish and are combined with smoky flavor that lingers. This is a light-bodied wine and doesn’t have many 2nd or 3rd tier flavors that bigger wines bring, but the sour cherry is very strong. It will pair well with pork and herbed chicken.

Rating

I find this wine very easy to drink and could see it working well as a food pairing during the week. I rate it 84 points.

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2007 Altovinum Calatayud Evodia

On January 20, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Altovinum Calatayud Evodia from Spain. This 100% Garnacha (Grenache) based wine was acquired for under $10 and comes in a beautifully labeled bottle.

Color

In the glass it is a dark ruby red with purple edges.

Aroma

Mint and red currant dominate the nose on this wine. There is also a cedar component. It is quite floral with lavender being prominent.

Flavor

Red currant and pomegranate on the attack. Black cherry and some black pepper on the mid-palate followed by good tannins, sour cherry, and a very strong green component. This is a pretty complex palate, but I have read that Grenache can get quite green and lose the fruit flavors when a winemaker tries to increase the tannins from the grape skin during the winemaking process. It is a delicate balance to keep the fruit and yet get some tannins. Perhaps that is what is happening with this wine. It definitely has some old world character. It will pair well with pasta and pork.

Rating

I think for the price this is a wine worth trying. If you are looking for a sweet fruit bomb it will probably not match your palate. But if you want something with lots of flavors, then it could be a good fit. I rate it 86 points.

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2005 Bodegas Castejon Nobul Tempranillo Vinos de Madrid

On January 14, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2005 Nobul Red Tempranilloicon by Bodegas Castejon from the Vinos de Madrid region of Spain. This 100% Tempranillo wine was purchased for under $9.

Color

This wine looks dark ruby red, but has some interesting shades of brown that make it look much older.

Aroma

This wine has a stunning nose. It is intense. There are good strawberry and plum notes combined with mint and cedar. Very interesting and explosive. This is an exciting start.

Flavor

The attack has cherry and strawberry which transitions to the mid-palate with more sour cherry. The finish has mild tannins and a little heat. To me this wine offers a really basic profile which is being covered up by a lot of oak. I like the fact that it is not too sweet. It will pair with a hamburger or pizza.

Rating

For my palate this was definitely not a match. I rate it 76 points.
Anybody else tried it yet?

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2008 Bodegas Borsao Campo de Borja Red Wine

On January 12, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Borsao Red Wine by Bodegas Borsao from Campo de Borja, Spain. This wine is made from 75% Garnacha (Grenache) and 25% Tempranillo grapes. It was purchased for under $7 and will be interesting to compare with the 2007 Bodegas Borsao Red Wine.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark purple in color with garnet around the edges.

Aroma

The fruit jumps right out the glass on the nose of this wine. It has intense black currant and raspberry aromas. There is also a hint of mint and juniper which is refreshing. It is a young wine and smells like a fresh one.

Flavor

On the attack there is a sweet (too much maybe) strawberry component. Then, in the mid-palate it becomes a medium dry wine with great fruit. Strawberry and cherry give way to some good spice on the finish. I like the fruit throughout and believe that is will be very food friendly. It is medium bodied and a bit hot on the finish due to the 14% alcohol. It will pair well with beef tenderloin and smoky meats.

Rating

For the price, I think this wine is compelling. It is a bit too sweet and would be better if it was more of a dry wine. I rate it 87 points.

I think this vintage is slightly better than the previous year. It continues the trend of improving on the finish, but there is less oak and better fruit. Have you tried it? What did you like or dislike about it?

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2007 El Sierro Macabeo Chardonnay

On December 23, 2009, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 El Sierro Macabeo Chardonnay by Vinos de la Vina from the Valencia region of Spain. This blend of 95% Macabeo (Viura) and 5% Chardonnay varietals was acquired for under $7. Macabeo is often used to make Cava, so it will be interesting to try it in a non-sparkling version.

Color

In the glass it is a nice light golden yellow. There is a very slight oily appearance.

Aroma

Citrus notes are showing well on the nose. There is grapefruit and lemon. It also has some key lime pie notes.

Flavor

The attack has some of the lemon from the nose, but it is joined by creamy flavors which do remind me of a Cava. There is great acidity and a heavier mouthfeel to it. It really strikes me as a great food wine for buttery seafood dishes. There is a butterscotch component showing up also. This is definitely a different white wine than the typical Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc varietal offerings which are so common today.

Rating

I recommend trying his wine. It has some similarity to Viognier and Chardonnay. I rate it 89 points.

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2008 Bodegas Juan Gil Wrongo Dongo Monastrell

On December 20, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today we are tasting the 2008 Wrongo Dongo Monastrell by Bodegas Juan Gil from the Jumilla region of Spain. This bottle which has one of the more attractive labels out there, was acquired for under $8. It is likely this is made of 100% Monastrell (Mourvedre) though the winemaker’s site doesn’t indicate it nor does the label. Anyone know?

Color

In the glass this wine is ruby red.

Aroma

On the nose, there is some red currant and black currant. There is also a clear dirt note. It is earthy and some cedar is showing as well. Very nice aroma overall. After a while the earthiness tends to blow off leaving fruit and oak components.

Flavor

There is black cherry on the attack and mid-palate. Some nice dry tannins on the finish along with lingering sour cherries and a hint of dark chocolate. This will pair well with pasta and chili and chocolate.

Rating

This is a decent wine. It is simple but very approachable. It is a plus that it is not overly fruity and sweet. We rate it 88 points.

Have you had a good Mourvedre lately?

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2008 Nostrada Tempranillo

On December 12, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today we are tasting the 2008 Nostrada Tempranillo by Artiga Fustel from the Tarragona region of Spain. This wine made of 100% Tempranillo varietal was purchased for under $7.

Color

In the glass this wine is a nice dark red with a little brown at the edges.

Aroma

It is very aromatic in the glass and is full of dark fruit. We detect blackberry and black currant. There is also some cedar.

Flavor

The blackberry and black currant continue on the attack. There is a lot of ripe fruit in this wine. It is definitely quite new world in style. Black cherry is present on the mid-palate and it finishes with very dry, chalky tannins. There is a little black pepper at the end as well. Although it isn’t full bodied, this wine pairs very nicely with steak seasoned with pepper. The fruits are toned down by the meat. We found this wine better with food than on its own.

Rating

For the price this is a good match for big flavorful meals. We rate it 87 points.

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