50% Garnacha, 40% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from Rioja Alavesa, Spain.
SRP of $15 and available for as low as $13.79. (FYI, for the 2009 vintage forward the name has changed to Bodegas Exopto Bozeto.)
From the winery:
"Tasting Notes: Aromas of white pepper, spice box, tobacco, cassis and black cherry. A medium-bodied, moderately complex wine shows generous and ripe fruit, good balance.
Food Pairing: White meats, dry cheeses, orange sauces, grilled meats, fondues, paella, Italian and spicy dishes.
13.5% Alcohol"
Rioja Alavesa is the smallest and northernmost of the three sub-areas within Rioja, a wonderful wine area in Spain we are big fans of here at The Reverse Wine Snob. Today's wine is a blend of three of the most popular red grapes in Rioja: Tempranillo, probably the signature grape of the region; Garnacha, a delicious variety very prominent all over Spain; and Graciano, a lesser known variety that is growing in popularity and is indigenous to this area. Let's see how the combination of these three grapes does in today's selection.
The 2008 Bodegas Exopto Big Bang begins with fragrant aromas of blackberry, ripe plum, spice, pepper and a little leather. Very nice. Tasting reveals a good smooth texture in this medium-bodied wine with flavors of black cherry and other dark fruit along with lots of peppery spice that becomes more prominent on the finish. Speaking of the finish, it's dry with good length and has some nice sweet fruit to go along with all that pepper and spice. Very tasty and quite fun to drink!
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.5
