venta mazzaron tempranillo

Old vines of Viñas del Cenit Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo
La Tierra de Zamora 2003

For ~$14 you can enjoy a really nice 100% Tempranillo wine from Spain. I first had this wine a year ago when I was getting into Spanish wines. Then I took a case of it up to the wedding (since USQ wines gave me a pretty good deal) and that went down many gullets quite well. This 2003 vintage from Venta Mazzaron was happily drunk with my brother and Keel on Sunday after we returned from an incredible night of camping at Independence Pass, CO. My brother, Josh, was on a 3 day short, but excellent visit from Seattle.

We first started drinking the Viogner and then opened this one up as we started the grill. This did a decent job of cutting through the filet mignon while the corn on the cob did it's level best to hold its own against the structured tannins.

Here's the interesting details on this wine. It is made from old ungrafted vines which are planted on sandy soils with chalk and iron. I think the iron really plays a role in the taste and style of this wine as the mid-palate definitely has a touch of dark game meat to it with loads of cherry and dried currant flavors surrounding it. This wine has had some time in the bottle to smooth out so you should pick up much more red fruits and a touch of vanillin. Super smooth and delicious!

Robert Parker gave it 91 points and had this to say, "A superb discovery by broker Jorge Ordonez, the terrific 2003 Venta Mazzaron is a top-notch value. It offers a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sweet perfume of blackberries, cherries, smoke, licorice, and earth. Medium-bodied and elegant, with wonderful sweetness, plush tannin, and a long, pure finish, it will drink well for 2-3 years."

Tasting notes
Color: Deep garnet, thick though young
Nose: Fruity, dark cherry and black plum flavors
Taste: Chewy medium tannins, moderate dryness, definitely noticing it in the gums, a bit of ground pepper came through the dark cherry plum fruit, with good savory acidity.

Don't pay $20 for this bottle, but you'll get lots of fruit and good balance overall if you find it for $15. Not a whole lot of complexity, but who's complaining for the price. You'd need to spend $25 or so for a nice Rioja to beat this Tempranillo.