Arzuaga 2003 Crianza

Tasting Date: 3/11/2007
Wine: Arzuaga 2003 Crianza
Region: Ribera del Duero
Tasting Location: Olema Inn Restaurant
Appetizers:

• Bay scallops with bok choy
• Oysters on the half shell with three toppings (caviar with lemon creme fraiche, and Buddha's Hand mignonette)

Dinner:
William: Sea-bass
Teresa: Rib-eye
Sean: Mt. Pleasant Quail


Dessert:
Teresa: Bread pudding
Sean: Trio of ice-creams: Nutmeg, Cardamom, & All-spice


Tasting notes:
As you can see, our dinner was long and rich with a wide variety of choices for entrees. After our experience earlier that evening with the La Planta, we had the waitress open the bottle shortly after we ordered. Unlike the La Planta, however, this wine was fantastic from first sip. The color was deep and the nose was intensely smokey with a hint of creosote. In the mouth it had a rich feel with a strong plummy flavor to balance smokiness.

Wine Vitals:
Composition: 100% Tinta Fina
Aging: ??
Alcohol: ??
Cost: $25 @ klwines.com

La Planta 2005

Tasting Date: 03/11/2007
Wine: La Planta 2005
Region: Ribera del Duero
Tasting Location: Central de Conejo
Food: Pre-dinner wine served with membrillo and crackers

Tasting notes (Sean):
Upon opening, the nose and the palate were nothing but brand-new oak. Blech! After about thirty minutes the wine opened up considerably displaying subtle dark-red cherry flavor mixed with tobacco. A lingering smokiness hinted at other flavors, but my palate was ruined by the intense oak up front and I was having trouble getting past it. This wine, however, warrants a second chance with at least one-half hour in the decanter before pouring.

Wine Vitals:
Composition: 100% Tinta Fina
Aging: Six months in French and American Oak
Alcohol: ?? (can taste the warmth, so I'd guess 14% - 14.5%)
Cost: $13 K&L Wines (http://www.klwines.com)

Legaris 2003 Crianza

Tasting Date: 02/18/2007
Wine: Legaris 2003 Crianza
Region: Ribera del Duero
Tasting Location: Central del Conejo
Dinner: No dinner tonight, sorry!
Dessert: Dancing Deer Walnut Brownies

Tasting notes:
This wine displays excellent color, but not as inky as the Semele Crianza. The nose hides the little fruitiness this wine has with strong oak smells. As it enters your mouth you are presented at first with a big ol' bite of leather saddle and the wonderful, sweet smokiness of narglia pipe tobacco. The sweetness in the smoke develops into a subtle, almost below-the-surface strawberry flavor. Good tannic structure from a 100% Tinta Fina wine and a distinct oak taste.

Sean - I'm finding this wine hard to like, however, in part because I'm picking up a lot of the sharp, American Oak taste prevalent in California reds. The wine is also less balanced than I prefer, but if you like oak and smoke this wine may suit your needs.


Wine Vitals:
Composition: 100% Tinta Fina
Aging: 12 months, French and American Oak
Alcohol: 14% a.b.v.
Cost: $22, Sabor of Spain (www.saborofspain.com)

Semele 2004 Crianza

Tasting Date: 2/11/2007
Wine: Semele 2004 Crianza
Region: Ribera del Duero
Tasting Location: The Compound
Dinner: Tapas selection of Tortilla Española, Gambas a la Plancha, and Dates Wrapped in Bacon
Dessert: Caffè Affogato

Tasting notes:
Dark ruby color and intense flavor to match. The wine displayed an amazing evolution over the one and one-half hours it took us to eat. It began with very little fruit and seemed a bit closed. Near the end of the bottle it was still not "fruit-forward," but had opened up displaying a pleasant sour cherry flavor combined with chocolate and leather notes and a wonderful spicy finish. The tannins are concentrated on the center of the tongue.

We also discovered that this wine loves chocolate with > 60% cacoa (less and the sweetness will overwhelm the wine). The two positively play in your mouth.


Wine Vitals:
This wine displayed little information on the label and even less so on the web. If anyone can send me some details I would much appreciate it.

Aging: 12-15 months (estimate based upon the "Crianza" designation)
Alcohol: 13.5% a.b.v.
Cost: $22, from Sabor of Spain (www.saborofspain.com)

Bodegas 2004 Arrocal

Tasting Date: 02/04/2007
Wine: Bodegas 2004 Arrocal
Region: Ribera del Duero
Tasting Location: Central del Conejo
Dinner: Seafood Paella
Dessert: Classic Flan

Tasting notes:
The wine was closed at first and it wasn't until about 1/2 hour of decanting that the wine really opened up. A well balanced tannic structure supports a mix of subtle, red fruit flavors (e.g. plum, cherry) and the characteristic smokiness and leatheriness of Tinta Fina. What astounded us most about this wine, however, is its complexity. The tannins, fruit, and acidity played very well together from the very first moment it hits your tongue all the way until it disappears into your stomach.

As a final note, the wine paired excellently with the paella.

Wine Vitals:
Composition: I found only one reference to its being a cuveé. This makes sense given the tasting notes.

Aging: 4 months in oak
Alcohol: 14% a.b.v.
Cost: $15, Beverages and More

Pago de los Capellanes 2005 Joven

Tasting Date: 01/28/2007
Wine: Pago de los Capellanes 2005 Joven
Region: Ribera del Duero
Tasting Location: The Compound
Dinner: Cassoulet of pork and white beans accompanied by sauté of chard, bacon, and baby beets
Dessert: T's Real Hot chocolate

Tasting notes:
Very jammy, fruit-filled nose, probably due to the short barrel ageing. It reminded me of many traditional Barolos I've hard, but in contrast the jamminess did not transfer to the tongue. The lack of extensive oak-barrel aging let the varietal characteristics shine!

The Tinta Fina lent its characteristic smokiness which was tempered by the soft fruitiness of the Merlot. The Cabernet Sauvignon rounded out the wine, giving it the structure lacking in many 100% Tinta Fina wines. The tannins were well balanced and this wine drinks well now. Without a robust tannic structure this wine would fall apart if aged for more than a couple years.

Wine Vitals:
Composition:

• 80% Tinta Fina
  
• 10% Merlot
• 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Aging: 5 months, French Oak, Medium Toast
Alcohol: 13.5% a.b.v.
Cost: $22, Sabor of Spain (http://www.saborofspain.com)

Creation Post

Hello and welcome to The Spanish Wine blog!!

This blog is about Spanish Wine from the perspective of three lay people as we set out to learn about Spanish Wine, one bottle at a time. We hope you will find the information we present useful and to help you my first post is going to be about methodology.

First, we pick a region. We are beginning with the Ribera del Duero region.
Then, We sample one bottle each week as follows:

1. A short tasting of the wine only.
2. We consume most of the bottle with dinner.
3. If there is any left, we try it relative to the dessert, if appropriate (so far chocolate and chocolate desserts have accommodated our wines best.
4. We then discuss our thoughts which I transcribe here

In addition I will try to provide the following information:

• Winery
• Varietal composition (strangely, this is sometimes very hard to find)
• Barrel Aging (and oak type, toast, etc when I can find it)
  
• Purchase Price + Location
• Details of the meal it accompanied

As a final note, we will not discuss point-scale ratings by magazines or wine tasters. These scores, in isolation, serve only to reduce the complexity and true character of wine.