February 5th, 2009 Tasting Notes.
(by Raymond R. Wells, Ed.D.)
This tasting was conducted by Joshua with Heidelberg Distributing Co. These were all very good wines from Argentina and Spain at very reasonable prices.
2007 Arido Sauvignon Blanc, Mendoza, Argentina, $10.50. A medium grassy nose with grapefruit and some lightly floral highlights. Good fruit, though a little on the simple side. Would be a nice match with shellfish, lighter seafood dishes, and steamed vegetables. The Raymond Rating = 86 points.
2005 Esperanza Verdejo-Viura (50/50), DOC Rueda, Spain, $13.50. The pleasantly vegetal notes brought artichokes to mind; also white peaches with some minerality. Well balanced with good fruit and some complexity lingering on the medium long finish. This refreshing change from the usual white wine suspects could pair with about anything needing a white wine accompaniment. The Raymond Rating = 87 points.
2006 Arido Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $10.50. A pretty nose of cherry, leather, and tobacco. This soft, lighter style Malbec has more fruit and complexity than might be expected; and would be a great choice for people who don’t like big, heavy, tannic reds, but still want a good wine to go with steaks or other red meats. It is also more pleasant to drink without food accompaniment than many “monster” reds would be. A very nice value! The Raymond Rating = 86 points.
2004 Abrazo “Crianza”, 50% Garnacha and 50% Tempranillo, DO Cariñena, Spain, $9.75. Deep purple red. Sweet cherries and cedar with herbal dried parsley notes on the pretty nose. Rather closed when first poured, it opens up with air and really starts to show off. Well-structured with good fruit, nice acidity, and firm velvety tannins providing a proper backbone to this old-world style red. There is decent complexity and a moderately long finish. Though drinking nicely now, a few more years of bottle age wouldn’t hurt it a bit. A good match with beef or lamb, and a great value! The Raymond Rating = 88 points.
2006 Care (by Bodega Añadas), Syrah, Garnacha, and Tempranillo (33/33/33), DO Cariñena, Spain, $14.75. Licorice and raspberry notes on the nose. Rich fruit with velvety, but present tannins that persist through a medium long finish with some complexity. A good match with hearty meat dishes. The Raymond Rating = 88 points.
2006 Bestué “Finca Rableros”, 50% Tempranillo and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, DO Somontano, Spain, $17.95. Deep purple color. Blackberry and cassis with earthy notes that open up with air. Well-structured with good fruit, nice acidity, and rather firm tannins. There is decent complexity and a moderately long, though tannin dominated, finish. It should improve with a few more years of bottle age to soften the tannins and develop its bottle-bouquet. A good match with well-marbled beef or lamb. The Raymond Rating = 89 points.