2003 Pagos de Quintana

[Drew]

100% Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero.

Haven't posted anything new for awhile, and not because I haven't been drinkn' anything . The problem is almost everything new I've tried is average and tastes the same and I grow weary of posting the same wine with different labels. Anyway, I'm in one of my haunts the other day and am approached by a young lady, very punk looking with big blue eyes, and she introduces herself as one of the new reps and pulls this bottle off the shelf singing it's praises. I stick it in the basket, with a few other choices and pop it last night...WOW, what a nice wine. Warm flavors of dark and black fruit with nuances of minerals, baking spices and milk chocolate. Full bodied with a silky, oily, mouthfeel. Good structure and enough fine grained tannins to suggest at least mid term aging. The finish is long and satisfying. It is a complete and moderately complex package that shows itself like a $20 something good cab for $10.99 that I paid ,and I bet you can find it for $9 or so if you look. Tis one of the top on my list of the best value wines of 2005 and if you saw the movie "Gladiator" you'll be chanting "Spainard, Spainard"! 13.5%Alc/vol.

Drew