Weekly Winedown #34 – Anciano Tempranillo

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review.
Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro.

The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy

You may have noticed there’s been no Winedown for a couple of weeks.

You probably didn’t notice.
There were probably had more important things on your mind like Eastenders or something.
But yes, I’ve slacked off.
Initially I blame the beast from the East.
Snow really throws me off my game.

It’s like I suddenly find myself unable to think.

I start to flap.
“What do they mean ‘Don’t leave the house unless it’s absolutely necessary’?”

Do they mean here or other places?
What IS absolutely necessary?
Is school absolutely necessary?
What if the Ocado van can’t get here?
I’ll have no wine, that would be an absolutely necessary.

The I get a bit twitchy.
“We should stock up”
“Aldi and Waitrose are right round the corner”
“But just in case”
“Just in case what?”
“I don’t know, I just have the urge to stockpile”

It turns out you can take the girl out of the south but you can’t take the south out of the girl.

As you can see, we survived that round of bad weather only for me to spit my dummy about something or other last week and going on strike.

That’s how I roll…

I’m in dire need of sunshine and wonderful things to look forward to.

Hurry up summer.

This week I’m drinking a Spanish Tempranillo, I’m going to hold my hands up and confess to have consuming four bottles of this already over the last few weeks.
It’s one sexy Spanish red – say Hola to Anciano Gran Reserva Tempranillo.

The Label

Before we even get to the label, we need ao acknowledge that this is one of those bottles of wine that comes with like gold net on. I’m not entirely sure of the purpose of that but it certainly works in getting me to buy it! Well done the marketing team! The label is made to look old, torn edges and that browned colour like someone wiped cold teabags on it. Seven, yes SEVEN different fonts have been used on the label. It’s most certainly trying to be something it’s not and yet…I appear to be OK with that.

The Blurb

“In the timeless Spanish winemaking tradition, Anciano Gran Reserva is matured in oak barrels for at least 18 months and in our cellars, to achieve its fine complexity and mellow oak character. It has smooth vanilla notes, rich black cherry fruit and  subtle hints of leather, blasamic and spice. Drinking well now.”

OK. WHAT?
It makes little sense to me.
I don’t know if something has been lost in translation or they just had to make something up quickly as the labels were going to print.
I’m also not entirely sure whether blasamic is being used in terms of the vinegar or of the tree but neither, combined with leather, make me think ‘get in my glass’. 

As you can tell, I’m pretty unimpressed with the exterior of this wine BUT this is bottle number five so what’s going on inside?

The smell nose is actually quite delicate. Soft fruit and a touch peppery.
The taste starts strong with cherries and dark fruits. It’s rich, smooth offering a full mouthful(oi oi) with a subtle oaked, vanilla-y undertone with maybe a hint of dark chocolate.
Beautiful and full bodied, certainly NOT vinegary or tree like!

Currently on offer at £5.99, I don’t think the usual price of £8.99 is out of order.

I am smitten with this kitten.

Name – Anciano Gran Reserva Tempranillo
Price – £5.99
Colour – Deep red.
Smell – Soft fruit and spice
Taste – Full, buttery,  cherries and vanilla.
Goes well with – Life, all of it.
Overall score – 4.5/5