Anyone who knows me well enough knows my love affair with Spain and Spanish wines. I love everything from Riojas, to Priorats, to wines from Navarra. One of my uncles who is a talented executive chef and fellow wine connoisseur also shares my love of Spain and the wines of Spain. He brought over a Tempranillo that I have never had before to share with him that was given to him by a friend in the wine industry. How could I refuse such an offer to share the bottle with him?
The Tempranillo we sampled was a 2007 Volteo. The word Volteo is Spanish for an equestrian term known as Vaulting, hence the horse on the wine label. A little bit of background on the winery, it is located in Central Spain in a region called Tierra de Castilla. The vineyards in this area represent roughly 6% of the world’s vineyards. Now that you’ve had a bit of a geography lesson, let’s get to the important stuff…the wine!
We gave it about an hour to open up before trying it. In the glass, the wine had a reddish-purple color. On the nose were aromas of blackcurrants, raisin, and raspberry. On the palate, I got lots of fruit such as raspberry, dark cherry and blackcurrant. I also got some hints of spice and some leather with a touch of oak. I found this wine to be well balanced and have a nice finish.
I have seen this wine retailing for about $10 per bottle. Given the lower this price point, this is a very solid and good wine. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to try some Spanish wine. For my personal rating, I would put it at 85 points. This wine would pair well with heartier fare such as beef or lamb. To get the true Spanish experience as you would in Barcelona or Madrid, have a tapas party and pair them with this wine. The Spaniards are all about good food, good wine, and combining those with family and friends but remember to take the time to savour every bite, drop of wine, and the time spent with loved ones. That is how it is done in Spain.
Salud!
