Flat Creek Estates Tempranillo: The Little Wine That Could

To be honest, this wine almost didn’t get reviewed. I picked this 2012 tempranillo up at Central Market in Houston on one of my trips. It was recommended, and I tend to really like Texas Tempranillo so it seemed like a perfect match. Unfortunately, the first glass did not live up to its potential and I pretty much wrote it off. However, I was raised not to be wasteful, so once a wine is open it is going to be finished off. When I opened the vacuum sealed bottle, I was greatly surprised by the change in the wine.

This little tempranillo went from being a discordant mix of fruit, spice, and tannin to a smooth symphony of flavor. Cherry and plum greet the palate up front, but a much subtler earthiness follows at the end of the draw. Mild spice undertones work throughout the sip and add the right bit of punch--subtle and not overpowering. It is amazing what can happen when you let a wine breathe.

I paired the wine with a pasta salad made from organic whole wheat pasta, grilled chicken, olives, sweet peppers, feta, and herbed olive oil. The sufficiently opened wine was a perfect counterpoint to the light fare. The grilled chicken paired especially well with the wine, and I would like to try it with more grilled meats once I pick up another bottle.

Tapas Night with Pagos de Eguren

Normally if someone comes up to me and tries to get me to buy something because they're working through the last of their stock on it, I'm a little skeptical.  Of course if that person is Mike Jones then I simply buy what he's selling because he hasn't steered Pris and I wrong on a wine yet.  Several weeks ago I was in Jones Liquor to pick up a bottle of a Spanish wine Pris had seen advertised on Facebook (link to review).  While there I chatted with Mr. Jones who directed me to the 2007 Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo from Spain.  He had some leftover from an event and was moving through the remainder and recommended I try some before it was sold out.  Once again, it was a good call.

The Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo was a solid and versatile red that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It had good nose that was loaded up with ripe red berry and blueberry.  This Tempranillo was light on the palate with solid and well-balanced fruit.  Red berries were dominant, but a subtle hint of mineral and spice kept the wine from becoming overly fruity.  The Pagos had a silky smooth finish that was aided by its lack of tannins.  This was a incredibly easy to drink wine that went down very smoothly.

 We paired the Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo with an assortment of meats and cheeses from H.E.B. Central Market last week.  As expected from a Spanish Tempranillo, this wine excelled with the soft Spanish cheeses and cured meats.  The ripe red fruit cut through the savory and salty meats perfectly.  The following night we paired it up with a bit of flank steak and leftover cheese.  Again, the wine went exceedingly well with the grilled meat.  Thankfully, the Tempranillo is an incredibly versatile grape that is one of our favorites because you can pair it with almost anything.

I purchased the 2007 Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville, and it was selling for between $12 and $14.  When I was in a couple weeks ago they still had some left, but it appeared to be moving.  If they're out, I did see it advertised at a number of sites online.  You can find out more about Bodegas Pagos de Eguren at: http://egurenugarteimports.com/

Bodegas Portia's Impressive Tempranillo

Its been a long while since Pris and I had a wine so good that we just cruised through the whole bottle in one setting.  Thanks to Bodegas Portia's 200 Tempranillo, we rediscovered how easy it was to polish off a bottle in one setting.  Pris first saw the 92 point Spanish Tempranillo from the Ribero del Duero region of Spain offer by Jones Liquor on a post on their Facebook wall on Tuesday.  She asked me to swing by and pick up a bottle, and always looking for an excuse to shop for wine, I decided to drop by.  I picked up a bottle of the Portia and noted a couple other wines on hand that we've been looking for before I headed home.

We wanted to crack open the bottle earlier in the week , but decided to wait to the weekend when we could fully appreciate the wine.  Last night we opened the Portia up and let it breathe for a good couple of hours before serving.  This was a wine that was dark, hearty, and delicious.  The Portia had a great full nose loaded with spice and berry fruit.  On the palate the Tempranillo offered a solid body with good fruits and a touch of spice.  A nice toasty oak provided a subtle balance to the hearty fruit.  This Tempranillo was well balanced with a fairly substantial body to it.  The wine does tend to end rather abruptly, and does not offer much in the way of a finish.  However, this did not detract from the full set of flavors that were displayed very well. 

This was a good wine on its own, and a great wine with food.  We paired the Portia Tempranillo with beef, olive, and garlic stuffed empanadas; a cheese, chicken, and poblano stuffed crepe; and tocinetas-- all from Gazpachos.  After the food was gone and we returned from walking the dogs I cut up some manchego cheese and skillet fried a couple slices of Spanish chorizo to go with a little more wine.  Everything went perfectly with the Tempranillo.  The salty and savory of the empanadas, the salt and spice from the cheese and chorizo.  Everything worked solidly with the wine.  I even added a few pieces of a milder cheddar cheese, which generally needs a bolder wine, and it work well.  Not as well as the salty manchego, but well enough.  This a great wine to eat with, and ultimately nothing beats the combination of a great wine paired with great food.

We purchased the 2006 Bodegas Portia Tempranillo at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville.  At about $50 a bottle it is on the higher end of our buying scale, but it was worth it.  In fact I've already secured another bottle for the future.  I'd recommend this one for a special meal, or just to open up when you feel the need for a solid and delicious red.  You can find out more about Bodegas Portia at: http://www.bodegasportia.com/index_portia.asp

A Little Bit of España in Tejas: Llano Estacado Tempranillo

Last Friday night I whipped up a meal I'd thrown together some time back.  I cooked up garlic shrimp with Spanish chorizo, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, and patatas bravas.  To go with the food, I picked out a Llano Estacado's 2009 Cellar Reserve Tempranillo. 

The Llano Tempranillo was every bit as good as most of the Spanish Tempranillos we've had over the last couple of years.  The aromas of plum and light fruit were the first thing to hit, but they are not indicative of what was to come.  This Tempranillo was slightly fruity with good structure and a touch of oak.  Like most Tempranillos it was full of fruit, but still maintained a full bodied presence.  Robust cherries and berries mingled on the palate with a touch of spice and smoky oak.  Supple tannins provided a well balance finish that was neither too bold, nor too fruity.

As the wine oxidized the sweetness became more pronounced.  Even with vacuum pumps, by the third day this wine was considerably sweeter than when it was opened.  So if you're into sweet wines, open it and wait a couple days to drink.  If you're into more robust and drier reds, finish this one off in a day or two.

We paired the wine with the afore mentioned foods, and it complemented the rich savory and salty meats that seasoned the meal.  The wine paired well with the savory garlic, light shrimp, and spicy chorizo.  What's more, the Texas Tempranillo did not overpower the jamon wrapped asparagus or the patatas bravas and sauces, even though they were a touch lighter. 

The 2009 Llano Estacado Cellar Reserve Tempranillo was a good little wine to have with the meal, and thanks to its robust flavors would work just as well with steak.  I picked this wine up at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville, and it was recommended by Mike Jones, who hasn't let us down in recommendations.  This Tempranillo runs $17 a bottle.  For more information on Llano Estacado's wines you can visit: http://www.llanoestacadowine.com/

Warming up with Cepa 21

Last Sunday was rainy and dreary, much like today, and I figured it was a great day for beef stew.  To go with the proposed beef stew Pris pulled out one of our more recent acquisitions: Cepa 21, a Spanish Tempranillo from the Ribera del Duero region.  This robust wine was a great choice, both for the meal and for warming up on a brisk and dismal evening.

The garnet hued Cepa 21 is bold and flavorful Tempranillo.  Its full of rich dark berries with a slightly oaky undercurrent.  On the palate this wine is robust with loads of blackberry and cassis.  Subtle oak adds good support, nuance, and complexity to the Tempranillo.  Bold tannins provide a rich, full, and very dry finish.  The finish is actually more reminiscent of a number of Cabs or Malbecs.  This is a strong Tempranillo that will hold its own against almost any big red wine.

Even though a burgundy was recommended, we paired the Tempranillo with a rich beef stew that was very similar to beef bourguignon.  The Cepa 21 was more than capable of holding its own with the vegetable beefy goodness.  The beef chuck simply melted in the mouth, and the mix of wine and herbs was a perfect complement.  If you're having beef, or rich and heavy main dish, this is a great wine if you're looking for something other than the usual Cabernet or Malbec.

I picked up the Cepa 21 at Jones Liquor when I did my pre-Thanksgiving wine buy.  Its $30 a bottle, so the price is a little high for an everyday wine, but worth every penny.  For more information on Cepa 21 you can visit: http://www.cepa21.com/

An Eventful Evening with Pagos de Tahola

Initially Pris and I were looking forward to a long quiet Thanksgiving weekend.  However, on Friday Pris got a call from a friend asking if the facility was free since he and some friends were in a bind on an engagement party they were throwing.  The place was free and Pris went ahead and booked the rental.  Since she was doing them a favor they made sure we were well provisioned with food for the evening.  It was a Spanish menu, and we decided to crack open a Spanish red to go with our tapas and entree.

Pris had actually pulled out a bottle of Pagos de Tahola 2009 Rioja to open earlier in the week and we just never got around to it.  The wine was another from the Wall Street Journal Wine club that I get from time to time.  This deep purple Tempranillo went well with the manchego cheese, Spanish chorizo, serano jamon, and smoked salmon the hosts served. 

The dark coloration of the Pagos de Tahola was a sign of what was to come with the full bodied and rich wine.  On the nose this rioja was deep dark berry and a touch of mineral and tobacco.  This is definitely a wine that needs to breathe for a while to reach its full potential.  Initially the Pagos offered dark fruit loaded with a rough earthiness and strong mineral mid-palate.  As the wine oxidized, the roughness wore off and the wine mellowed considerably.  Smooth juicy berry came to the forefront and the mineral bite subsided, but still maintained a pleasant presence on the mid-palate.  Big tannins provided a strong full finish that did not diminish with time, but rather became more refined and enjoyable.

We enjoyed the wine with the tapas and an entree of pork tenderloin smothered with a roasted red pepper sauce, asparagus, and roasted potatoes prepared by Nena Siller.  The food was excellent, and the wine paired really well with the pork and sauce.  The complex fruit of the rioja complimented the smoky, savory sweetness of the peppers and pork.

The Pagos de Tahola 2009 Rioja came from the Wall Street Journal Wine Club, and it costs $14 a bottle.  You can find out more about Pagos de Tahola at: http://www.wsjwine.com/jsp/product/productDetails.jsp?productId=prod50126

Another Lazy Afternoon with Marques De Caza

There are some awesome wines out there that are so rich and flavorful that they're almost beyond description.  Then there are good wines that you can drink almost anytime and they won't break the bank.  Marques de Caza's 2007 Tempranillo is one of these latter wines. 

When we bought this wine at Jones Liquor, Mike Jones told us it was an okay Tempranillo.  Not bad, but nothing particularly special.  After opening it up today I found he was once again right.  That's not to say the Marques is a bad wine, it just doesn't pack any wow factor.  However, at $11 a bottle its easily an everyday wine if you're a fan of Tempranillo's.

The Marques has an exceedingly fruity nose with loads of raspberry and currant.  As the wine breathed and opened the nose developed a bit more bite and the fruit notes became a touch muted.  The oxidation process didn't do much to dampen the lively fruit this wine packs on the palate though.  Ripe red berries dominate the palate, and there is just a spice towards the back of the palate.  The Marques has a mineral and spice finish that hits quickly, but then lingers for a bit.  All in all its a solid Tempranillo.

We opened this bottle up to go with so left over Rudy's BBQ brisket that we heated up for lunch.  The fruit and spice in the wine went really well with the smoke and spice rub on the brisket.  This wine was made for roasted red meats, and though its smoked, the brisket fit that bill well.  The fruit and spice also played well with the rich and spicy bbq sauce.

This is a good everyday drinking wine that is easily drinkable.  We picked it up at Jones liquor here in Brownsville and it runs about $11 a bottle.