Ahhhh, a Tempranillo. It felt like seeing an old friend again. Having recently moved from Texas, where Tempranillo reigns supreme, it felt almost nostalgic to pick up a bottle that was pure Tempranillo grapes, even if it wasn’t from Texas, or even the US.
Bodegas Latúe is a wine cooperative in Spain that prides itself on being socially responsible as well as ecologically friendly and sustainable. These values are at the forefront of their winemaking. Their vineyards are in central Spain and the climate provides very little rain. The summers are quite warm, but the winters can be harsh as seen in the photos of their snowy vineyards on their website. The soil is a stony limestone mix. *
I was looking forward to a good representation of a classic Tempranillo with this bottle. I could already smell the tobacco in the air and taste the leather. I knew also to look for dark red fruits with hints of soil also being possible.
This wine was from La Mancha, Spain and sampled on August 10, 2018. The first scents surprised me by being red apple and cinnamon. I was reminded of Big Red gum. There was a little bit of leather smell breaking through though. I was listening to “Naked” by James Arthur. The first taste was less of a taste and more of a feeling. It felt like the epitome of the word plush. If your favorite pillow was wrapped in a silk pillowcase and you ate it, then you would know exactly the mouthfeel of this wine. The only real discernible taste was that of toasty oak. The silky smoothness of the chocolate matched the wine taste for taste with texture.
I gave this wine a rating of 2.0. Maybe I was just feeling too nostalgic, but it didn’t not hit home for me as an enjoyable Tempranillo. It was only tolerable and I would not purchase again.
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