The 2011 Raimat Tempranillo is sourced from Estate vineyards in the Costers del Segre DO in the Province of Lleida of Catalonia near Barcelona in Northeast Spain. The climate in Coster del Segre is hot during the day and cold at night and that wide daily variation in temperature allowed the grapes ample time to ripen. The wine was fermented in stainless steel vats then aged for 10 months in a mix of new and 2 year old oak barrels, mostly French oak, with some American oak. This Tempranillo has a bit of residual sugar and can be classified medium dry. The alcohol content is 14%.
The color is plum red with black highlights. The nose is bright red berries, oak spice and vanilla. It tastes of raspberry, cherry, dark chocolate and an interesting slap of spices. The tannins are sleek and balanced and this is a lean Tempranillo, not overripe, plump and juicy. The finish is full and long.
The 2011 Raimat Tempranillo is a solid “bang for the buck” Red wine, the prices on the internet vary wildly, from $7 to $13, with the average around $10. Estate grapes and a quality oak barrel program for a wine delivered from Spain for about ten bucks is a bargain. The Raimat Tempranillo drinks well, nicely balanced with a touch of complexity, it will pair well with red meat and pork on the outdoor grill and is more than tasty enough to sip on the patio after a long day.
