Full Review

Don Aurelio

Don Aurelio
2016 Reserva De Familia, Tempranillo, Valdepenas

Pair this wine with:
Beef Pork Vegetables

Category: Tempranillo

Date Tasted:
Country: Spain
Alcohol: 13.5%
92 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$36
Cellar Selection

Don Aurelio
2016 Reserva De Familia, Tempranillo, Valdepenas

Pair this wine with:
Beef Pork Vegetables

Category: Tempranillo

Date Tasted:
Country: Spain
Alcohol: 13.5%
Dusty garnet color. Mature, earthy aromas and flavors of oily roasted nuts and olive, conditioned leather, clay, and berry-vanilla cake with a supple, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a tingling, compelling, medium-long finish with accents of marinated sour cherries and beets, cedar, and cascara with well-integrated, crunchy, dusty tannins and moderate oak flavor. A complex and layered Old World Tempranillo with power and finesse.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity, Juicy & Smooth, Old World, Oaky, Savory & Rich & Full
Aroma Aroma: oily roasted nuts and olive, conditioned leather, clay, and berry-vanilla cake
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with accents of marinated sour cherries and beets, cedar, and cascara
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry-yet-Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: Short Ribs, Pork Saltimbocca, Beef Stew
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A complex and layered Old World Tempranillo with power and finesse.

The Producer

Bodegas Navarro Lopez

The Producer
Autovia Madrid-cadiz, KM 193
Valdepenas, 13300
Spain
34 -902193431

Tempranillo

Wine Glass Zinfandel.jpg
Serve in a Zinfandel Wine Glass
Tempranillo is the principal grape of Rioja, Spain's most famous red wine. The variety has beautiful red cherry, blackberry and mulberry fruit with medium-weight tannins, good acidity and complexity. it is generally aged in older oak barrels in Rioja to soften the wine.

Tempranillo is also grown in other regions of Spain, such as Ribera del Duero and La Mancha. It also produces important wines in Portugal and Argentina and is planted in countries such as Mexico, the United States and Australia.

While there are some lighter versions made for early consumption, a typical Tempranillo ages very well, anywhere from five to seven for a medium-bodied version to twenty to thirty years for a Gran Riserva Rioja. They pair well with most red meats and spicy dishes, from empanadas to game birds.