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New Wines I Like

5 Jan

 

This is the Numanthia Termes Toro Tempranillo 2008. Davis and I tasted it the Whole Foods wine bar in Venice http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/venice/. If you’re out and about it’s sold by the bottle at Cleo http://www.sbe.com/menu/cleo/Cleo_Menu.pdf in Hollywood. It’s smooth, smokey, has moderate tannins, dark berry flavors and light spice notes. This a great wine to have with dinner. Any sort of poultry, pasta, lamb or pork would be great. I think it’s a real crowd pleaser and for those of you that have gotten so used to drinking big fruity California wines, it’s a great introduction wine to the earthier Old Wolrd style. It comes from the Spanish Toro Region and the wine maker is Numanthia. I think I’m going to have it this week with pasta, tomato sauce, peppers and mild Italian sausages.

$30 at Whole Foods in Venice

$45 at Cleo

 

winemaker’s notes:Bright cherry-red in color with light purple tones. The aroma is very elegant and lively aromas, rich and complex. Fresh, fruity notes (black fruits, raspberry, dark sherry), nicely integrated with spices, tobacco & toasted aromas (vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon). The palate has a silky texture, concentrated, well structured and very elegant. The finish is long and complex, with spices, tobacco, raspberries and blackberries notes.100% Tinta de Toro

alcohol by volume: 14.5%
critical acclaim:

“This bold red matches ripe blackberry and currant flavors with toast, dark chocolate and oak notes. The tannins are firm and well-integrated, and the smoky mineral note is alluring. Drink now through 2016.”

91 Points

Wine Spectator

“Opaque ruby. Sexy, oak-spiced dark berries and fresh flowers on the nose, along with notes of cola and star anise. Lush, palate-coating blackberry and candied cherry flavors are lifted by tangy acidity and gain sweetness with air. Fine-grained tannins add shape to the lush fruit flavors and carry through a long, spicy finish. Give this a bit of air if you plan to open it any time soon.”

91 Points

International Wine Cellar

Numanthia

Numanthia is located in the Toro region of Spain. Its four vineyards are located along the south bank of the Duero River.The wine is named after a legendary Spanish city that was destroyed (after 20 yrs of resistance) by Roman legions. It is to Spain what the hilltop village of Masada is to Israel: a monument of history. Its 40 hectares of land are covered with an abundance of elements derived from the disintegration of Pliocene grit, clay and limestone.Numanthia’s first vintage was produced in 1998 and received a 95-point rating from Robert Parker. Since then, the Toro region has been producing wines that have begun to rival those of Spain’s richest wine-producing regions of Ribera del Duero, Rioja and Priorat.