Valserrano Rioja Crianza 2007 ($9.99)
90% Tempranillo and 10% Mazuelo
Ever go to a brewery for a meal and order one of their beers just to feel a little more adventurous than the guy at the next table drinking an Amstel Light? You like your micro-brew, glad you tried something new, also glad you didn't commit to a 12 pack, and perhaps, maybe, you'd order it again. That was this.
The nose reminded me of a Paso Cab. Paso's not known for Cabs, so that's not necessarily a great thing. But I smelled an Earthy, cherry, tobacco smell. Took me right there.
This wine had a lot going on. Very zingy, spicy and flavorful. It was dry on the finish. Not dull, flat-black, but felt some dryness there. Beth and I enjoyed its uniqueness as we paired it with BBQ'd chicken and some asparagus.
Here's where things got interesting. Some wine expert would either offer a simple explanation, or be disgusted with my actions, but as dessert rolled around for Max, I too grabbed a Skinny Cow. Expecting the worst when I followed up a bite of ice cream sandwich with wine. I found to go really well. The wine had less of an edgyness, wasn't so dry and finished well. I actually liked it a bit better this way.
Overall, I'm glad I branched out. It was different from what I've been buying/drinking. I wouldn't rush back to this bottle, but wouldn't shy away from trying other Spanish wines because of this.
Grade: B
