Curran Santa Ynez Valley Tempranillo – A Decadently Delicious Saturday Splurge

100% Tempranillo from Santa Ynez Valley, California.

SRP of $28 and available for as low as $24. Sample received courtesy the winemaker and TAPAS for review purposes.

From the winemaker:

“Palate Notes: hints of sweet and sultry black forest cake, mocha, notes of cola steeped with lavender and dark black cherries, finishing with a creamy tannic weight.

Food Suggestions: mixed grill meats, chile Colorado with veal, fried manchego with a romesco sauce, chocolate espresso cheesecake with a blackberry grenache.

14.5% Alcohol”

Today’s wine is another in the series of reviews we’ve done to date on American Tempranillo. And once again, as I’ve said in just about everyone of these reviews, I was really impressed. These wines definitely compare quite nicely with their Spanish counterparts. Here are the wines we’ve covered so far:

• The Abacela Estate Tempranillo from Umpqua Valley, Oregon: A Myriad of Multi-Dimensional Flavors.
• The Longoria Clover Creek Vineyard Tempranillo from Santa Ynez Valley, California: America The Beautiful (Saturday Splurge)
• The Bokisch Vineyards Tempranillo from Lodi, California: Organic and Dynamic.
• The St. Amant Amador County Tempranillo from Amador County, California: Made In The U.S.A.

The 2007 Curran Santa Ynez Valley Tempranillo begins with delicious aromas of sweet blackberry, lavender, chocolate and spice. The wine tastes really excellent with succulent fruit flavors and a rich velvety texture. Great peppery spice intensifies all the way to the long, dry and delicious finish and plays fabulously with the fruit flavors. Definitely a wine to seek out for your next Saturday Splurge.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.