Have you ever wondered what the date (year on the
wine bottle) meant? Is it the year the
wine was made, the year it was released, or the year the grapes were
harvested? Though wine laws vary in different parts of the world, the vintage
year in every case is the year the grapes were harvested.
In the case of this week’s Wine Wednesday feature, the 2011
Montecillo Rioja Crianza Tempranillo (TEM-pra-KNEE-oh), the grapes for this wine
were harvested in 2011. Tempranillo is the primary red wine varietal from the Rioja region.
This wine comes from the Rioja (Ree-OH-ha) wine region of Spain.
There are four classifications for Rioja wines; Rioja, Crianza, Reserva and
Gran Reserva. The difference is predominantly the amount of aging before it
reaches the shelves in your wine shop. To be classified as Crianza the wine
must age a minimum of one year in oak and one year in the bottle. Thus, the earliest
this wine was released would have been 2013.
Crianza is likely the most widely available and is usually
reasonably priced (under $15) which makes this a great “weeknight” wine. On the
nose, dark fruit, baking spice and hints of tobacco. I found this wine to be fruit
forward and well balanced with a nice amount of acidity. I loved the subtle
smoke that lingered on the palate after the finish.
Pair with Chipotle Chili Sloppy Joes or Lasagna. Click the
links below to print or save the recipes.
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