Halfway through the Whole Foods Wine Holiday Top Ten list for this year, Doug Bell and team are doing pretty well. One wine that really pleasantly surprised me (the Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir, even after two tastings) and another that fell really short (the Sutter Home Muscat, which was too sweet and one dimensional). But, overall, this is a good list of wines and Whole Foods is living up to its philosophy of maintaining the balance between quality and price. Which brings us to another very nice wine, the 2008 Paso a Paso Tempranillo. Lots of dark berry, plum, sage and smoked pork, with just a bit of sweetness like you would get from a barbecue sauce on that pork. This is an interesting wine. When I first tasted it, it was a bit tight and the wine absolutely disappeared on the finish. But, after letting it open up for 10 minutes in the glass, there was plenty of rich, balanced finish. Medium acidity and firm tannins, with the tannins most present on the front palate, then easing as it made its way to the end.
What Whole Foods has to say: From sandy soils in the prized terroir of La Mancha, Spain comes this powerful example of Tempranillo. Six months of aging in French oak barrels results in its deep opaque color and ripe plum and toffee aromas, perfect for drinking with hearty winter stews or bring out the creaminess in P'tit Basque cheese for an intense flavor experience. Made with Organically Grown Grapes
What you should do: Buy this wine. It's always nice to find a good Tempranillo and the quality of this wine, especially for the price, is high.
My rating: 88
NOTE: This wine was sent to me as a free sample.
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