Graciano.

Ijalba, Graciano, Rioja, 2005.

I just couldn't figure out what this wine was. I tasted it blind of course and it had moderate acid, moderate to low tannin, was super fruity, like jammy strawberry and raspberry fruit and the color super dark. And so I thought maybe Grenache - but where would Grenache like that be from in the Old World? Priorat? But it didn't have the alcohol of Priorat.

I got frustrated, Peter said, just guess the region, not the grape and I said, how in the hell can I guess the region without knowing the grape? And the winemaking didn't help either. No oak, all tank, making it primary fruit central, so it could be from anywhere! Finally I settled on Grenache / Syrah blend from Languedoc.

Regardless it was lovely little wine, perfect for holiday cheer (it looks like it's been gift wrapped already) and I shouldn't hold my failures at blind tasting against it.

Domaine LA around $20.

La Rioja Alta, Reserva

La Rioja Alta, Vina Ardanza, Rioja, Reserva, 2000.

I will confess, I struggle with identifying Spanish wine. In particular Rioja, but if you can find that dill component on the nose, and I say this realizing that in the last post I said NOT to give any significant weight to aromatics, that you too can learn to identify Rioja. Now that I know its there it's impossible to mistake. I say that, of course, knowing that I probably will not identify it correctly next time I taste it. One thing you can't be in the blind tasting game is cocky. You have to assume everyone is out to get you.

The thing about Tempranillo if it gets French oak treatment, as many do in Navarra and Ribera del Duero is that it tastes like just about anything. It's moderate across the board, moderate tannin, moderate acid ("they say" it's on the lower side of acidity, but I frequently do not find that to be true), moderate fruit concentration. And the fruit profile is both red and black just to complicate matters. Some aromatics that might help pin point the wine are leather and tobacco leaves, if anyone knows what tobacco leaves smell like. I guess I don't. Maybe our smokers out there can fill us in.

This was a great wine, and I don't say that very often, at $34.99 it's a perfect wine for the holidays because its savory with dried herbs and fruit and the time in barrel has created a slightly oxidized, but lovely flavor profile. You should grab a bottle for you and ONE OTHER PERSON. No need to share. Get it at the Wine House.