2003 Vinea Tempranillo Reserva, D.O. Cigales, Spain

A First Shot At Tempranillo Falls A Bit Flat

I’d never had a Tempranillo before. This was my first, and it left me rather uninspired.

The nose was lacking almost entirely of fruit, with heavy notes of earth and oak. The color is a light garnet red with tinges of rusty orange at the edges.

The first thing I noticed was the incredibly—almost distressingly—light mouthfeel. It was almost as if the wine wasn’t really there. Still lacking in any discernible fruit notes, the palate played with hints of rock and wood. The finish was clean and very short —the wine left as inconspicuously as it came.

All in all, I am hoping this is not indicative of Tempranillo as a varietal. One bright note: My tasting partner, Karly, noted that the wine paired nicely with her lunch, an italian sandwich of black forest ham, salame, and caper aioli. While I didn’t partake, it makes sense to me that this wine would pair well with deli meats —a steak would wreck it like a steamroller, leaving nothing in its wake.

Verdict: 72/100


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