The Story The Matsu El Picaro 2019 is a Tempranillo wine sourced from 90-year-old vineyards in the Toro D.O. of Spain. Toro is located near the Northeast corner of Portugal, the northwest of Spain wraps around the Portugal border. Matsu is a Japanese word that means to wait and El Picaro translates to the Rouge….
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The Oxte The Silence Red Blend 2017- Trader Joe’s is a Trader Joe’s $5.99 import exclusive, a blend of 40% Tempranillo, 25% Syrah, 25% Garnacha (same as Grenache) and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from vineyards in the Cariñena region of Northeast Spain. Oxte is the Spanish word for “shoo” as in shoo fly, to swat something away….
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The Colossal Reserva Red 2015 is a blend of 30% Touriga Nacional (probably the #1 Red grape of Portugal), 30% Syrah, 30% Tinta Roriz (known as Tempranillo in Spain), and 10% Alicante Bouschet sourced from Casa Santos Lima estate vineyards in the Lisboa wine region of Portugal. The Colossal Reserva is something of a rare wine,…
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The 90+ Cellars Big Red Blend Lot 113 2015 is an unusual blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Tempranillo, and Souzoa sourced from vineyards in Lodi, California. 90+ Cellars are Negociants, what negociants do is purchase surplus wine from wineries and sell it under their own label. Sometimes they buy fermented juice from a famous winery…
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The 2011 Viña Fuerte Tempranillo Crianza is a $4.99 ALDI’s import exclusive, bottled by Bodegas Isidro Milagro using grapes grown in the La Mancha DO (a DO is similar to an AVA in California, it delineates the boundaries of a wine region and provides rules and regulations) of central Spain. La Mancha is a huge…
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JOYA Sangria Red is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Bobal sourced from vineyards around the town of La Puebla De Almoradiel in the province of Toledo, inside the Castilla-LaMancha region of Spain. You are probably familiar with Tempranillo and Garnacha, Bobal is a grape native to Spain that traditionally has been used for producing…
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The Torres Altos Ibericos Crianza 2011 is 100% Tempranillo sourced from Torres estate vineyards (they own 1,000s of acres of vines) on the Iberian Peninsula in the Rioja region of Spain. Torres is a large family owned winery and vineyards, founded in 1870. Spanish wine is classified by the length of time the wine is…
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The Bodegas Ontanon Reserva 2005 is 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano grown in Estate vineyards (Tempranillo in the La Pasada vineyard and the Graciano in the La Montesa vineyard) in the southern Rioja region of Spain. The Graciano grape is primarily grown in Rioja as a blending grape, it adds color and aging properties. Bodegas…
Read MoreThe 2008 Castillo de Almansa Reserva is a blend of Monastrell, Tempranillo (known locally as Cencibel) and Garnacha Tintorera (also known as Alicante Bouschet and not the same as Grenache/Garnacha) sourced from the Estate vineyards of Bodegas Piqueras, a family owned winery since 1915, located in the Almansa grape growing DO inside the LaMancha DO…
Read MoreVolver Tempranillo from La Mancha – Spain’s largest wine region – is a single-vineyard voluptuous woman of a wine that’s aged 14 months in new french oak. Her amazing full body does not quit and will coat your glass in dark purples and blacks while her perfume tantalizes you with black cherry, spice, plum and…
Read MoreWe reviewed the 2009 LaGranja 360 Tempranillo and thought that this was the REAL bargain wine at Trader Joe’s, pass up those stacks of cases of Charles Shaw wines and grab the LaGranja 360. When folks talk about 2 Buck Chuck, they say things like, “ It was more drinkable than I thought” or “it was…
Read MoreThe 2007 Vino Zaco is 100% Tempranillo made by Bodegas Bilbainas (one of the oldest wineries in Rioja) grown in Rioja, Spain. The wines of the Rioja DOC are classified by the aging process, so much time in the barrel and so much time in the bottle makes the wine a Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva….
Read MoreRene Barbier Mediterranean Red is a non-vintage blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Tempranillo sourced from the Catalunya D.O. located in Northeastern Spain (near Barcelona). It is available at World Market and several other retailer and sells at Trader Joe’s for $4.99. The alcohol content is 12.5%. The color is clear, shiny cherry red. The…
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