Tempting Tempranillo

Filed in archive Cheap Wines , Spanish Wines on May 12, 2006

This is another excellent find that I've picked a few times during my grocery store econ-wine buying trips.

Normally, this 2003 Penascal Tempranillo is priced at about $5.99 in my local grocery store (though I've seen it on-line for as low as $4.99), and as usual, I appreciate the fact that I get to try something a little different than I normally would drink.

Though, admittedly, this is the second time I have bought this vintage and it probably won't be the last, so that means it won't be too different for long.

This is a hardy Spanish wine, perfect for a nice, rich meal. I snacked on a few pieces of cheese and crackers with mine, but I could have gone for a large plate of pasta - Yum O.

These wine notes from MIT pretty much sum it up: good acidity, a little tannin, low body; taste: dark fruit, roasted red pepper; smell: slightly musty/old cellar, a little smoke; excellent match to marinated olive & mushroom raviolo; not so great w/ roasted pepper (not enough body in wine to match peppers' sweetness); food friendly; excellent value; AFTER DECANTING: tastes like a juicy Barbera; smell: caramel, port, dates; Helen: interesting smell, but jagged taste, rough on the edges