Spanish Wine

Although Tempranillo is the workhorse grape of Rioja, it has proved quite successful in other regions of Spain, including nearby La Mancha, perhaps better known as the home turf of the wayward knight, Don Quixote. Although Tempranillo typically produces a lighter style of wine in Rioja, in the warmer La Mancha region it takes on added intensity and ripeness. Made in a friendly, fruit-forward style, without any wood notes to mask the fruit, this bouncy Spanish red offers lots of spicy Tempranillo fruit, supported by light, crisp tannins on the finish. Great with BBQ, or serve lightly chilled as an aperitif.

"The 2004 Vina Ardanza is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha from 30-year-old vines in Fuenmayor and Cenicero. It is aged for 36 months in four-year-old American oak. It has a very enticing bouquet with dark cherry, Christmas cake, dried fig and espresso with fine delineation and bags of exuberance. The palate is medium-bodied with taut tannins, underpinned by a keen citric thread that cuts through the licorice-tinged, dark berry and allspice-tinged fruit with style. It is simply delicious on the bittersweet finish. Drink now-2020 " -- 93 pts, Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate