2001 Bodegas Arzuaga Crianza Ribera del Duero Spain. 13.5% alcohol. $32, Andrea Robinson Wine Club.
Pale red color, medium hue, very good fruit aromas and tastes with hints of pepper, leather, an imp+ression of jamminess, medium mouth feel, mild tannins, very good balance, long finish with fruit, pepper and earthen notes -- a jammy impression that was totally unpleasant, i.e. not really too sweet. Medium EGA. 3*+.
Robinson recommened this as a Thanksgiving wine with a rich dressing including sage and sausage -- I tried it with a mild pepper and sausage sandwich -- no sage available -- and the combination worked very well.
Notes:
Winery: http://www.arzuaganavarro.com/
Robinson:
Don Florentino Arzuaga began planting his estate vines in 1982 and waited until they were mature, 1993, before launching the wines in Spain and then beyond. His winemaker Juan Carlos Martinez, formerly of Ribera powerhouse Bodegas Alion, produces strictly classic Ribera wines in the traditional style. This Crianza is a blend of 90% Tempranillo (the same grape used in Spain's Rioja reds), with the rest a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The wine is aged nearly 14 months in 75% American, 25% French oak that is a combination of new, 1- and 2-year old barrels.
Every time I have tasted it I've been amazed by the savory, peppery, leathery complexity layered on top of the very ripe, almost syrupy-intense fig and black plum fruit that this extraordinary vintage produced. It is beginning to show the kind of earthy-smoky complexity that bottle age yields in a wine of this density and structure, and I think this is just the beginning of a long crescendo of the layers that will emerge. Definitely a cellar candidate if you enjoy wines of this style.
Bdegas Arzuaga (bo-DAY-gahss ahr-SWAH-guh).