Thanksgiving Wines 2009: A couple of Riojas

After posting my previous blog a few days ago, I realized the title was misleading. The wine I reviewed did not make the cut to be on my Thanksgiving dinner table, so it ought not be a 2009 Thanksgiving wine, at least for me. This El Coto Rioja may not make the cut either. It was, however, given to me by Frederick Wildman and Sons and was recommended as a wine to have with Thanksgiving dinner. Spanish wines generally don't leap to my mind when considering Thanksgiving dinner, but I try to be open minded.

The wine in front of me at the moment is the 2004 El Coto Rioja Reserva. The winery has been making wine since the 70's and their first commercial release was in 1975. This wine is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes grown exclusively in the Rioja Alta region. The wine is fermented in stainless steel for 3 to 4 weeks, then aged for 18 months in American oak. This is followed by an additional 2 years of bottle aging before being released. The wine regulations in Rioja stipulate that Reserva wines must be aged for a minimum of 3 years, and at least one of those years must be in oak. The wine has a real cork closure and the label states an alcohol level of 13.5%. Suggested retail price: $19.99.

The color is a bright ruby red of a light medium intensity. Thin, fast legs slide down the glass. The nose shows vanilla, spice, and a non-specific red berry fruit all of medium intensity. Unfortunately, there is also a slight wet cardboard aroma lurking in the background. I can't decide if the wine is truly corked i.e., TCA taint from a bad cork, TCA taint from something in the winery which would be a serious problem for the whole bottling, or whether it is just an aroma inherent in the wine that I just don't care for. The level of this odor is extremely faint and I did not detect any corkiness on the cork itself. The palate is buttery, spicy, has red berry flavors, but the wet paper flavor is discernible in the mouth as well. Finish is of medium length. Not having another bottle of the same to open, I am going to assume this is a bad bottle and will withhold a rating. I do think, however, that if it were not for the wet cardboard odor, the flavors and aromas of this wine would make it an appropriate and complimentary choice for Thanksgiving.

I was planning on having this wine with pulled pork shoulder, vegetable paella and kale. After rooting around, I came up with a bottle of 2005 Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza and decided to try this as well. I bought this not too long ago at a wine shop outside of Boston.

Sierra Cantabria as a winery has been growing grapes and making wine since 1957. The Erugen family, who own this property and a few others, however, have been growing grapes since the 1870's. The vineyards are situated between the Ebro River and the Cantabrian mountain range in the north of Spain. The wine is 100% Tempranillo, although sometimes they add a little Graciano. The wine is aged in French and American oak for 14 months. This wine, unlike the El Coto, is bottled unfiltered. The wine has a real cork closure and the label states an alcohol level of 14%. I paid $15.99.

Color is medium ruby and clear, with thin legs. Aromas are clean and youthful, displaying red berries, sweet cherry and burnt sugar. Palate carries over from the nose seamlessly, but shows some over-extracted notes of burnt dark fruit. Medium length of a finish. I would rate this Good. I also think that this wine would manage a Thanksgiving dinner with little effort.

Word of the day: Tempranillo. The most popular red grape in Spain, the name is the diminutive of Temprano meaning early. Aptly named, this variety is early ripening and usually ripens two weeks before Grenache. The main grape of Rioja, it is also know as Cencibel in Castile-La Mancha and Madrid, Tinto fino in Ribera del Duero, Tinta del Toro in Toro and Aragonez in Portugal. It is often blended with more aromatic and assertive varieties such as Grenache, Graciano and even Cabernet Sauvignon.