The UnCorker

HOME
No categories
GLOSSARY

2004 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero

March 3, 2009 | In WINE REVIEWS | No Comments

condado Another delicious Tempranillo, this one from the Ribera del Duero. Ribera del is the Cotes du of Spain, literally the banks(coast, rib) of… these wines tend to be gutsier more extracted wines then Rioja- about 80 miles Northeast, with vineyards on both sides of the Duero river, further West, the famous Douro river of Portugal- The Ribera del Duero lies on a plateau at 850 meters, the summer days are hot, dry and bright, the night temperature can drop as much as 40 degrees- this kind of temperature variation is the key to lively acidity in big extracted red wines, and Condado del Haza has all that. Big, extracted bright fruit, blueberries, cassis, chocolate and espresso dominate the palate along with a bit of smoked meat. On top of all that, bright juicy acidity lend a freshness that makes this wine seem lighter then it is. 15 months in American oak rounds out the tannins and gives notes of cedar and vanilla- another wine for grilled meat or rustic cheeses.

2004 Finca Allende Rioja

March 3, 2009 | In WINE REVIEWS | No Comments

finca-allende1 From time to time you’ll hear people compare Tempranillo to Pinot Noir, a comparison that almost never stands up to scrutiny- with the 2004 Finca Allende Rioja, the comparison stands up. 100% Tempranillo aged in new and used French oak, this doesn’t taste like Pinot, but like good Pinot, this wine is packed with dense fruit, dark rather then light, has a smoky, earthy aromatic complexity, leather and mint, and with all this denseness and complexity, it has a lightness that dances on the palate and keeps you reaching for the glass. This is modernist Rioja, very drinkable at this tender young age, french oak and no designation on the bottle telling us that its a crianza, which it is-Great to drink now with roast or grilled meat, definitly be cool to lay a few of these down and watch their evolvution. Available for $20-$25, a definite deal.