Tapeña Garancha (Spain, 2007)

3 stars (out of 5)

We picked this one up at the local wine store because we recently tried Tapena’s 2007 Temparnillo and enjoyed it. Although perhaps a good value wine, this garancha was not as much to our liking as the previously-reviewed Tempranillo. The wine was deep ruby purple in color, and promptly stained my plastic cup from top to bottom. The musty cherry aroma was somewhat unsettling, but the wine opened up a bit in our mouths with flavors of dark cherry and fig. The finish was spicy like a Christmas cookie, cinnamon and clove.

Tapena Tempranillo (2007)

4 stars (out of 5)

The vintner describes this wine perfectly - a pinot noir in blue jeans. One of the lighter red wines we drink, this vintage could have stayed on the wine rack a year or two longer for me, but is ready to drink now for new wine drinkers and those of you who typically drink whites or lighter reds. Served with homemade red sauce and ground beef over pasta, we found the taste full of dark berries with a hint of smoky flavor and a strong alcohol scent. On its own, the wine was light and short-lived but when paired with food the finish was long with a hint of spice. I recommend this wine at the end of a warm fall day with good company. A terrific value for under $10 ranks it four stars out of five.