Crianza in case you are not aware is 100% Tempranillo grape is unique to Spain. This one is dark in color. On the nose there are some nice dark fruits coming out and a bit of oak. On the mid pallet are dark fruits coming through. On the finish this wine has some big tannins, [...]

This wine was given to me by a friend. The wine is dark in color with a nice nose of black fruits. On the mid pallet are some uncharacteristic sweet flavors. Something like strawberry jam. I had a little difficulty placing it. Similar to a Petite Syrah. There are also some dark fruits as well, [...]

A good friend of mine gave me this bottle. They call this a Crianza which is a little odd because normally a Crianza is 100% tempranillo but this one is a blend of tempranillo, cab sauv, and merlot. The wine is dark in dolor with a lovely nose of dark fruits. On the mid pallet [...]

This wine is a blend of 65% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha and 5% Mazuelo and Graciano according to their web site. The wine is inky dark in color with a lovely nose of dark fruits. On the mid pallet are some deep cab like cherry flavors with some noticeable oaks. On the finish the wine has [...]

My friend David pointed this one out to me from the general list (so very available). Rioja are known as one of the best areas for wine in Spain and Tempranillo (which is the grape used in a Crianza) are a signature grape for them. This wine is medium in color. On the nose the [...]

Sometimes I read reviews and tasting notes of wines and think … huh? I find this comes from a variety of different places. I’ve never been trained as a sommelier and there are things I have just never tasted. So when I read it tastes like passion fruit and I have never had a passion [...]

I’m always skeptical when I see high rating from Parker and buy with caution. A $15 if it were a 91 would be the bargain of the century. However … past experiences say my tastes and Parkers differ widely. A while back I read a book called How I saved the world from Parkerization . [...]

This is another big Tempranillo. If you like these this is a pretty good one. Very little bitterness on the finish, nice bold flavor, reasonably complex. The fruit is relatively subtle/overwhelmed. Tannins are big but under control. Alcohol and Oak are well balanced. I would give it an 89-90. Not a bad wine at all. [...]

Wimps need not apply Ok if you like your wines big and bold, this is a wine for you. If you don’t, there is plenty of room about happy little elves in theater number two (a reference from Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events Moving on … Upon first opening I knew this would [...]

This wine was the wine of the month and got a good write up so I thought I would give it a go … Crianza (Tempranillo by another name). I always expect these to be big wines. I decanted this one for 1/2 hour (an oversight) and it really needed an hour min, likely more [...]

I really enjoyed this wine tonight. I paired it with a striploin steak with rice and cauliflower with cheese. Dessert was a chocolate brownie! It went well. The subtleties of this wine are best appreciated without food but it is food friendly. It could use a bit of breathing say 1/2 hour before serving. The [...]

Opened this Spanish wine up a few nights ago thinking it was probably ready to go. We have had this in the cellar for at least 2 years and I was hoping to take an inexpensive red with potential for complexity and allow it some time to sort itself out. I am not the biggest [...]