Description
Country : Spain
Grape Variety : Tempranillo; Garnacha Tinto.
A seductively smooth and silky-textured red from the Rioja region in North-Eastern Spain. Warm cherry fruit is wrapped in layers of subtle, smokey oak; the finish is long, with hints of spice.
Tasting Note : Warmly spicy nose, with hints of red fruits. On the palate the wine shows smooth mouthfeel, spicy toasty and vanilla notes, ripe plummy fruit and a long, elegant finish.
Food Pairing : Pair with white meats such as chicken – roasted or casseroled; roast beef; vegetable lasagne; manchego cheese (or similar).
More info : To qualify as a ‘Crianza’ red Rioja must by law be aged for a minimum of 12 months in oak and 6 in bottle before being released for sale. This wine, produced from Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes, is aged for at least twelve months in medium-toast American oak barrels before being transferred to bottle. The style of this wine is quite traditional in that it is smooth and elegant and not too full-bodied. The vanilla flavours of the oak provide a perfect foil for the warm plum and cherry fruit of the wine, resulting in lovely balance. A very tasty morsel!
Winery : Bodegas Franco-Espanolas was founded in 1890 at a time when French winemakers were moving to Spain to escape the scourge of phylloxera which was devastating their vineyards. Originally a collaboration between Fréderic Anglade Saunat from France and various Spanish partners, the winery has consistently produced high quality wines over the past 125 years. Now under the ownership of the Eguizabal family, there are lots of new projects underway to keep the winery evolving in line with modern requirements, without losing its links with history and tradition. The wines from this producer really do offer fantastic quality for price; we highly recommend them.
