Minneapolis Wine Club
"The Number One Wine Club in Minnesota!"
Spanish Reds
The Results!
July 2009
Starter wines (Done Blind)
This activity was used to allow guests an opportunity to try a solid Tempranillo wine vs. a everyday that sells for $6. The majority of the guests could really tell the difference and the Manyana might be worst wine of this year!
2004 Emilio Moro Riberia del Duero Tempranillo $$$
Color: Medium red
Nose: Earth, coffee, spice
Taste: Earth with coffee, spice, and a little fruit
Finish: Medium and a bit harsh
Evaluation: This wine still has some life and hopefully will come around 87 points
2006 Bodegas San Valero Manyana Tempranillo $
Color: Dirty light red
Nose: Spice
Taste: Too acidic and out of balance
Finish: Very sour and not pleasant
Evaluation: The worst wine of the year? 70 points
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Now on to the big time wines. While I think Jay Miller overrates just about anything he tastes from Spain a few of his high ratings are deserved. Again no one in the Twin Cities Wine Community pours these at their educational events!
Big Wines
2004 Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses Priorat $$$
(Blend of 60% Carignan, 30% Grenache, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon)
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Pleasant with Asian spices, cherry, oak, vanilla
Taste: Not as big as the last time I tried it featuring nice fruits and acidity
Finish: Medium and showing well right now
Evaluation: Upgrade from a previous time 90 points
2006 Terra de Verema Triumvirat Priorat $$$$
90% Carignan, 5% Garnacha, and 5% Syrah
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Earth, spice, cherry, plums
Taste: Not over the top with earth, minerals, spice, and oak
Finish: Medium and concentrated. This is a food wine and needs some lamb chops
Evaluation: A nice wine and while 95 points seems high to me I think it is a solid 92 points
2004 Bodegas El Nido Clio Jumilla
(30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 70% Monastrell) $$$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Blackberries, blueberries, oak, vanilla, leather
Taste: Wonderful wine with blueberries, cherry, blackberries, oak, leather and minerals
Finish: Super concentrated and featured beautiful expressions of fruit
Evaluation: A wonderful wine that was purchased at $40 and I should have bought a case 94 points
2005 Numanthia-Termes Numanthia Toro $$$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Truffles, spice, oak, vanilla, smoke, violets
Taste: Violets, truffles, oak, smoke and spice
Finish: Medium and concentrated
Evaluation: Decanted 3 hours. Interesting on this wine as when we drank it was good but an hour later left in the glass it fell apart. This is not a long term ager so drink within 5 years. 93 points
2001 Bodegas LAN Culmen Reserva Rioja $$$$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Spice, floral
Taste: A bit bitter with floral, spice and earth
Finish: Medium but really lacks an expression of fruit
Evaluation: This wine is overrated and overpriced period! 90 points
