About the Wine: Tempranillo is a signature varietal of Spain and a few of its clones are also very successful in Portugal. The varietal is grown elsewhere, but never with much commercial success. The bottle carries the Rioja designation but not a label that distinguishes how long it was aged in oak, such as Crianza or Reserva. It is a risk, but I have a real affinity to the wine of the region. Also, this price point speaks to me at a profound level.
About THIS Wine: The wine is ruby red in the glass with a pink rim. Cranberry is prominent on the nose, which unusual for a Rioja. They typically have distinctive notes of cooking fat, which I did not get at all from this wine. The palate is dry with good fruit and a firm tannin in the finish.
Drinking This Wine: Something like steak or sausage would make a good pairing here.
Overall Impression: There is no reason this wine could not go for twice the price and as such it is a steal. My one caveat is that it does not present like one would expect from a Rioja. For someone who wants a great value dry red, though, this is where it's at.
