Here is the wrap-up of the Wine-O’s Spanish Red adventure. We had a good turn out for such short notice. As is sometimes the case the more expensive wines are more interesting, but not as drinkable. We had a spectacular chocolate-orange cake to celebrate John Romond’s birthday. Below is the lineup and the group decided ratings.
Sight 0-4
Nose 0-6
Flavor 0-6
Overall 0-4
Total out of 20 possible points

Wine #1 Montecillo Gran Reserva 1996
Price: $24
Region: Rioja
Sight: 3 Copper edges, good color and clarity.
Nose: 4 Pepper, strawberry jam.
Flavor: 3.5 Cherry, light mouth feel, and tart apple.
Overall: 2.5 Low tannins and smoothness make this a easy to drink pleasant wine. .
Total: 13

Wine #2 Condado de Haza 2001
Price: $26
Region: Ribera Del Duero
Sight: 2 Consistent ruby color. Long thin legs.
Nose: 3 Pungent (manure) at first, mellowing after exposure. Giving way for anise and candied cherry.
Flavor: 4 Dry and rough that also mellowed after exposure.
Overall: 3 A wine that needs decanting, or shelf time.
Total: 12

Wine #3 Condesa de Leganza Crianza 1999
Price: $9
Region: La Mancha
Sight: 3 Purple berry color.
Nose: 3 Carmel. Small presence.
Flavor: 5 Warm feeling. Rich.
Overall: 3 Accessible; Typical Spanish Red.
Total: 14

Wine #4 Campos Reales Tempranillo 2003
Price: $9
Region: La Mancha
Sight: 3.5 Brilliant color.
Nose: 4 Microwave buttered popcorn. Sweet decay. Flinty.
Flavor: 4 Tannin, heavy fruit. Warm in front. Swampy or mushroomy.
Overall: 3.5 “stunt” wine, pleasing and complex without being too much so.
Total: 15

Wine #5 Torres Sangre de Toro 50 aniversario 2003
Region: Barcelona
Sight: 2 Blood color.
Nose: 3 Chile Pepper.
Flavor: 3 Mild mannered.
Overall: 2.5 Good cold weather wine.
Total: 10.5