Torremoron Ribera Del Duero Vintage: 2005 Purchased: Mar 24th 2007 Price: $9.99 Purchase Location: The Spanish Table - (http://spanishtable.com/) Categories: Red - Spain

Tasting Notes:

I think this wine is indicative of how far I've come in my appreciation. When I first tasted this wine, I considered it one of the best $10 reds I'd had. I bought a couple more bottles and have just now finished them off. Now what do I think? It's not nearly as good as I gave it credit for.

The color and fruit components are right on, but there is a floral component that I missed the first time, and actually feels somewhat muted. I kept trying to coax it out, but it was elusive. In the mouth any floral component is lost as the fruit dominates. I remember it having more acid, but on second taste, it really didn't. The tannins were good and there was an interesting licorice taste on the finish, but it all seemed to lose focus at the end. Maybe the food I was eating it with had to high of an acid for it to handle this time?

It's still a good wine. But I can no longer call it the bargain I once did.


Also Tasted On:
May 6th 2007


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Famega Vinho Verde Branco Vintage: NV Purchased: May 19th 2006 Price: $6.99 Purchase Location: The Spanish Table - (http://spanishtable.com/) Categories: White

Tasting Notes:

I think this might end up being my favorite of the vinho verde that I tried. In the glass it was almost colorless, a slight green tint was the only hint of color. It was also spritzier than the other two bottles I'd tried. The nose was pretty muted and I didn't have high hopes.

On the first taste my fears were confirmed, not much fruit, pretty boring. But the more I drank the more it seemed to open up. The flavor were all citrus: lemon, lime, and grapefruit. There was a good acid and just a hint of sugar to balance. It wasn't complex, but it was refreshing. I found it easier to drink than a soda pop. Perfect for summer and picnics.


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Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Branco Vintage: NV Purchased: May 19th 2006 Price: $6.99 Purchase Location: The Spanish Table - (http://spanishtable.com/) Categories: White

Tasting Notes:

This was much better than the last vihno verde I tried.

Again this was slightly light green in the glass. The nose was muted once again, but it was much more effervescent. It tasted strongly of lemon and limes. It's a great quaffer for this price.


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Segura Viudas Brut Rose Vintage: NV Purchased: Mar 24th 2007 Price: $6.99 Purchase Location: The Spanish Table - (http://spanishtable.com/) Categories: Rose - Spain - Sparkling

Tasting Notes:

We were invited to a Cinco De Mayo party for some chipotle ribs. I decided to break out the Spanish wine for the occasion.

We had this with appetizers before dinner. It was very impressive pink in the glass with a very fine bead. It had a muted nose of red fruit and yeast. The texture in the mouth of very good and thick. The initial taste was of strawberry with the fresh baked bread taking over on the end. Not a lot of acid, and no sugar to speak of. This was not a great sparkler, but for the price it is hard to complain.


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Torremoron Ribera Del Duero Vintage: 2005 Purchased: Mar 24th 2007 Price: $9.99 Purchase Location: The Spanish Table - (http://spanishtable.com/) Categories: Red - Spain

Tasting Notes:

This was the second wine I was going to have for Cinco De Mayo. I've been curious about this one for a while since Jay Miller gave it a 90 in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. The wine is 100% Tempranillo from 60- to 90-year-old vines. With those old vines and the high rating, it's hard to believe you can get it at this price.

In the glass it was a medium ruby color. The nose was a very strong aroma of red fruit including raspberry, strawberry, and cherry. On the first taste it was almost jammy like some California zin's. Black Current, blueberry, and other fruit dominated but with a nice zest acidity that brought it all in to focus. There were some tannins, but they were perfectly balanced.

This wine was all about the fruit. There was no hint of earth, mineral or herbs in this one. This is probably the best $10 red wine I've tasted.


Also Tasted On:
Sep 25th 2007


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Novellum Chardonnay Vintage: 2005 Purchased: Mar 24th 2007 Price: $9.99 Purchase Location: The Spanish Table - (http://spanishtable.com/) Categories: Chardonnay - France - White

Tasting Notes:

This is a very interesting chardonnay from the Languedoc region of France. A lot of wine comes from the Languedoc. Most of it is cheap and not bad, but not memorable either. Since they don't follow the AOC laws, they can do things the rest of France can't. Sometimes that means growing pinot noir in regions that shouldn't and making a mediocre product. Sometimes you get something like this.

This is a completley unoaked chardonnay. With great green apple and pear flavors. The interesting things though are in its finish and nose. It is aged on the lees of viognier. It picks up all sorts of floral and honey scents from this that really make it interesting and cut through the thickness that you sometimes find in a chardonnay. If you get a chance to try this, you should.


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