May

6

We were in the mood for something different when we purchased the Olaia Dehesa de Rubiales 2004, and different is certainly what we ended up with.  This wine bears very little resemblance to any of the others we’ve reviewed previously.

The Olaia is composed mostly of Prieto Picudo (50%) – a darkly colored, nearly extinct grape that is grown almost exclusively in Spain and seems to be experiencing a recent surge in popularity – 45% Tempranillo, and 5% Merlot.

We found blackberries and vanilla on the nose and palate, along with the luscious scent of plush green forest (as you’d find in, say, North Carolina).  We also picked up lots of hot pepper on the finish, which we really enjoyed.

This well-structured, medium bodied wine might not be one meant for much aging, nor would it be one that we’d call complex.  But it is something that we think is both unusual and pleasing to the senses all at the same time – at $11, it’s a textbook Weekday Wine.

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Plumpjack Wines in Noe Valley.  They ship. 

Mar

13

Try this out: bake some Nestle toll house cookies and taste them with a glass of Niepoort Vertente Douro.  Strange as it sounds, this Portuguese red is a fantastic match with warm chocolate chip cookies, as we found out this evening, but this is just one of several features that make it a very interesting wine.

What else?  Light body and high acidity, almost like the red counterpart to dry Riesling. Also, it’s the first Portuguese wine that we’ve reviewed, and it’s made from non-run-of-the-mill grapes: Tinta Roriz (a.k.a. Tempranillo (the link is to Wikipedia)) and Touriga Franca, one of the major grape varieties used in making Port.

We got aromas and flavors of blackberry, marzipan, brown sugar, and maraschino cherry. 

Overall, this is not one to age for more than a couple of years, but it makes for a delicious dinner wine, particularly with chocolatey dessert.

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