After dinner Friday I headed over to Alex’s for my local group’s monthly gathering. Theme was Tempranillo, as usual everyone brought a blind bottle. Alex put out a spread of tapas- squid, a seafood salad, peppers, jamon, 2 chorizos,olives, anchovies, plus cheeses (Mahon, Idiazabal, Manchego) and more. All delicious, though I wish we had also had some Spanish white wines!
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While people gathered and greeted, there was a bubbly, the NV Lunetta Prosecco. Just not my cuppa- a little sweetness, some bubblies but flabby and lacking acids, short, dull. C
Red #1- fresh berries, a little touch of vanilla, good freshness, easygoing. 2006 Vina Alberdi Rioja. B
Red #2 - a bit more gravitas, good acids, spicy, I like. 1998 Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva.B+
Red #3 - (I knew what it was). More powerful than preceding wine but without excess weight, pretty red fruit framed with spice,dill, and tobacco. Young but showing complexity. 1998 La Rioja Alta “904” Gran Reserva Rioja B+/A-
Red #4- sweet, oakchippy, blackberry fruit, I think some others liked more. 2009 Pago Florentino C+
Red #5 - candied, sweet and simple, fruity, not too appealing or deep. Not sure I got name right here, this is what I get from my scribbles, 2008 Cantos Perfilo (Ribera del Duero) C/C+
Red #6- big bold, oaky - there’s a gloss and vanilla thing that makes me assert French oak (it’s actually 50/50 French/American, all new barriques, I looked it up).Plenty of fruit, well done just not my style. 2005 Sierra Cantabria Coleccion Privado B-
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.