Volver Tempranillo 2008 RP90- $12? Seriously?
31 Jan
Maybe it’s the euro to dollar exchange rate or just a few great vintages in a row, but Spain is coming out with some absolutely staggering bargains. In reality, I think that Spain, more than any other European country, is starting to use modern, dare I say American, winemaking techniques that result in high quality, rich but approachable wines from vineyards that have been around for hundreds of years.
Here’s another theory beginning with a question: Which country has the most acreage of vineyards planted? With over 2.7 million acres, Spain has nearly three times the acreage of the good ole’ US of A according to the Wine Institute. So naturally Spain would have ample opportunity for ambitious winemakers to choose great grapes from underutilized vineyards to produce so many fantastic values.
Take a look at these bullets from my tasting notes and ask yourself if you are reading about a $12 wine or a $30-50 wine.
- Spectacular nose of vanilla and blueberry
- Velvety texture with sweet mouth coating tannins
- 100% new French oak aging
The trait that’s too important to be described with a bullet is the finish on this wine. It literally lingers for 30 seconds. Try to find another $12 wine that you can describe like this one and I want to try it!
This wine drinks great now, but the professional reviews suggest it will improve for a few years. I have yet to give up my amateur status, despite the quantity of wine I drink, so I’ll trust the pros on this one. The longer it lasts the more I should buy- right honey?
Buy Here: 2008 Volver Tempranillo La Mancha $11.95
Robert Parker 90 points
“The 2008 Volver is also 100% Tempranillo sourced from 50+-year-old vines and aged for 14 months in new French oak. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it showcases aromas of pain grille, earth notes, spice box, and fragrant blue and black fruits. Supple-textured, super-ripe and concentrated, on the palate it is mouth-filling, savory, and structured enough to evolve for 2-3 years. It can be enjoyed now and over the next 8-10 years. It is a great value that over-delivers in a big way.”
We picked up 2 bottles at our local Costco last week. Opened one last night to serve with mustard/balsamic marinated grilled lamb chops. In a word, FANTASTIC! We will usually have just 1 glass of wine on a week night, but last night we finished the whole bottle–It was that good!! Returning to Costco to bulk buy before it’s all gone!!