2019 Tempranillo
Our favorite Spanish Variety that is so perfect for the Spring it makes our heads spin...especially after a couple of bottles...It's just that good! After our 2018 took Best of Show at the Sierra Foothills Wine Competition last year, we are hoping we are on a roll with this one... grown at the Metate Hill Vineyard. The clone of Tempranillo used is called Toro and is perfectly suited to the slightly cooler spring that is common at this vineyard, so the growing season is a little longer creating more complexity as it gets more time on the vine! This Tempranillo sports abundant plum and a bit of spice on the nose and a bunch of black cherry and wild berries on a rich full-bodied palate. It is great with mildly spicy cajun cuisine and Spanish tapas. Probably a fine match with Buffalo Wings if you can ever imagine finding wings on a buffalo!
| Appellation | Sierra Foothills |
| Vineyard | Metate Hill Vineyard |
| Designation | Calaveras County |
| Alcohol | 15.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Cases Produced | 90 |
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2023/03/14/2018-mineral-wines-tempranillo-a-mouthful-of-flavor/
First on the eyes an enticing purple hue lures your interest with a medium body viscosity. On the nose, aromas of raspberries and blackberries swell up to greet you. On the palate, the berries are ripe and delicious followed by red cherries. On the finish a hint of vanilla and cinnamon make it a delightful treat. At $38/bottle an excellent wine and it will make my annual Best Wines Tasted in the year report (December 2023) for wines up to $50.
Chose this wine to have with our dinner of Carne Asada. With a short break in the weather, BBQ’ed the marinated flank steak. The marinade ingredients included, fresh chopped cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, fresh squeezed orange and lime juice, minced garlic cloves, a diced jalapeno, ground cumin, Kosher salt, ground black pepper, marinated for 24 hours. The steak was seared for about 3-4 minutes a side along with jalapeno peppers roasting on top of the steak. Topped off with fresh minced cilantro and a modicum of fresh squeezed lime juice. Accompanying the meal was sautéed asparagus and mushrooms, along with a fresh garden salad.
The Carne Asada was flavorful and spicy without being too red-hot! This fruit forward, but not a “fruit bomb” wine, coated the mouth and made a totally enjoyable meal.
