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Auburnwine · 10-27-2003, 11:31 AM,

Again, short on notes, but:

2001 Dominico Eguren Codice Tinto - about as simple (yet still drinkable) as you can find. Nothing to it -- good or bad.

2001 Abadia Retuerta Rivola - Pretty substantial for this price. Good stuff.

2002 Borsao Red, Borja - This was the one that tasted like a white: serious grapefruit, an unusual and generally tasty offering for about $6.

[This message has been edited by Auburnwine (edited 10-27-2003).]

Innkeeper · 10-27-2003, 12:06 PM,

Don't know if we're drinking the same Borsao Borja. My '02s taste like big jammy reds. Am using them as relief infielder this year in lieu of Marietta Old Vine Red. Great when you can't make up your mind such as with broiled kielbasa with spinach.

Auburnwine · 10-27-2003, 03:30 PM,

This was the Campo de Borja (nice, black label with orange design). There was nothing like a big, jammy red in it -- and I am a big, jammy red kind of guy. I had read your notes and was startled by what I found in the bottle. It was not at all like the Borsaos I recall having before.

Perhaps it's a big enough production that there is variation in it. I really don't know. There were ten of us tasting and we all agreed.

dananne · 10-27-2003, 05:32 PM,

The Codice is a nice, simple quaffer that I've enjoyed for the last two vintages. The Rivola is something of a house wine around here, and has been consistent from '99 to '01. I love the Borsao and my notes are strikingly different.

All three are, to my mind and taste, nice QPR wines. I sure do love Spain, and find the $6 to $10 range wines from there hard to beat.

Oh, and AW -- I posted a question to you on the recent Giant Steps pinot thread about the Viking Grand Shiraz that I'm not sure if you missed or not. Any idea?

[This message has been edited by dananne (edited 10-27-2003).]

[This message has been edited by dananne (edited 10-27-2003).]

thewoodman · 10-27-2003, 10:28 PM,

I have to come down on the side that just doesn't see the great QPR of the Borsao. Just a marginal quaffer based on the 2001 I had the other night. I have had some nice Borsao's, like the 99 and 2000 Tres Picos for $7.99 and the 1996 Crianza for 6.99, but their low end wine just doesn't do much for me. For the price I think Protocolo, Vega Sindoa, Osborne Solaz, and a slew of other Spanish reds beat it hands down.

Auburnwine · 10-28-2003, 09:53 AM,

Dan, I have both the 1999 and 2000 Viking. I opened one of the 99's and it's way too early. I think that your hold estimate sounds about right. I got them both for around $20. Should be great wines one of these years.

Brom · 10-30-2003, 03:12 PM,

I agree on the Borsao in that I think it was a "bandwagon" wine that everybody jumped on.

i don't know whether I am pleased or not that someone else finds the Osborne Solaz to be a real find. Less for me don't you know.

Drew · 10-30-2003, 11:35 PM,

Brom, we got tons of the Osborne Solaz in our area but all 3 of the bottles I've had over the last year were a bit flabby so I don't know if it's a "real find" or bottle variation problems.

Drew

quijote · 11-06-2003, 12:08 AM,

I tried the 2000 Osborne Solaz tonight--it was tasty, but needed a few minutes to open up. Re the 1999 Solaz, Hotwine wrote that it seemed that there was more Cab than 20%; that was my impression with the 2000. Very tasty, with lots of plums and a bit of that cab-like cassis note. The finish seemed to be a little "hot" at first, but after a while it softened up. Or maybe the 13% alcohol changed my perceptions somewhat....

[This message has been edited by quijote (edited 11-05-2003).]

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