Tag: #rioja

I am a lover of Spanish wines.  Boy, am I a lover of Spanish wines- reds, white, rose.  You  name it I drink it. The region of Rioja, by far the most prominent and productive.  The geography and climate lend itself into some spectacular beauties.

Valserrano (Bodegas d la Marques) has over 100 years-5 generations of wine making experience. Producing high quality but very affordable wines in the Rioja.  Fermentation is in  Allier Oak Casks.  Most wines are bottled in majority American oak with a smaller percentage French oak.

The Valserrano blanco is 95% Viura, 5% Malvasia, grown from estate vineyards.  A beautiful pale yellow color.

This is a perfect wine for a summer afternoon or evening.  Medium bodied with oh so many personalities shining through.  All at once you get citrus up front, followed by a  and nut notes, think almonds and cashews, then more fruit, passion fruit  and other tropical notes.   Perfectly balanced, I AM IN LOVE.

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I had the pleasure to visit this winery and it was well worth it.   I look forward to a return visit one day.

Enjoy

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My love of Spanish wines continues.Today it is Vinsacro Cosecha (Valsacro) another wine from the Rioja region, and another must try.

Cosecha, (I had to look it up) means to harvest, gather or cultivate. So taking it from there, you get the idea that this wine is a gathering of grapes, cultivated and harvested, then brought together, to form this outstanding art to drink. Yes, I think of wine as an art form. Just like food is an art, or the ability to do so, food and wine are the final product of artists-hence artisans.

This purple colored wine is aged in oak for 16 months.  A blend of Tempranillo, Grenache and Mazuelo.

The nose has a wonderful fresh bouquet featuring violets, roses, hints of cedar and tobacco.

On the tongue the wine confuses you with so many different flavors bouncing throughout. Juicy, may be an overused term… but it does describe the feel of this wine in the mouth. Dark cherry, plum, blackberry, that cedar again.  Spice notes; pepper and cinnamon produce a medium finish. There are tannins but not too over productive to drink alone, though it would go great with cheese or roast.

The wine is easy drinking, friendly, approachable, call it what you want…it is very good. Structured and elegant – more of a medium body stand alone. Definitely a wine that could lay for awhile.

Enjoy $$

Vinsacro, Rioja 2011
Vinsacro, Rioja 2011

Tempranillo, you gotta love it.  Another great wine from the Bodegas Franco Espanolas. This is a fabulous wine…say it again…this is a fabulous wine.  Rioja is Spain’s oldest DO.  2005 was one of the best vintages.  Tempranillo- a black grape used to make full bodied red wines.  Now combine these together with w knowledgeable wine maker and you have perfection.

Have you ever seen a red diamond?  The wine in this glass looks like a blood red diamond.  Deep dark color with a shimmering sparkle.  The rich elegance provides a tell of things to come.

The wine in your mouth is succulent, mouthwatering, rich and bold.  The juicy contents erupt with the red berry flavors.  Black cherry, plum, hints of tobacco, chocolate and a sweetness of vanilla.  Hints of oak coming from three years of aging.  Fruit going all the way through.  Soft silky tannins providing just enough pucker to know a nice piece of cheese is called for.  Balanced, structured and all there.

This wine is 80% tempranillo, 10% grenache, 5% mazuelo and 5% graciano.  look like a perfect combination.

Enjoy

Rioja Bordon 2005 Grand Reserva
Rioja Bordon 2005 Grand Reserva