Tasting- Ilurce Tempranillo

Name: Ilurce Tempranillo

Variety: 100% Tempranillo

Region: Rioja

Country: Spain

Year: 2008

Price: $14.00 (Regular) $5.95 (Sale)

Shop Review: "(88 points – Stephen Tanzer) Dark purple. Zesty, youthfully medicinal aromas of dark berries, licorice and cracked pepper. Juicy and fresh, with smooth texture and sweet cherry and spice flavors framed by dusty tannins. Finishes with a suggestion of slightly roasted fruits and good clinging persistence. Delivers a lot of power and richness for the money." - Vintage Wine Cellar

My Review: This week, there were a lot of dry wines, and this one was no exception. I found this wine to be a little bit spicy and it had a bite to it just as the San Elias did. While tasting this wine, I got bursts of flavor of cherries and berries. I thought that this wine was very smooth to drink, but I found the pepper flavors to be a bit overwhelming. In the future, I do not think that this would be a wine that I would buy.  

Food: I drank this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting, so I was unable to pair any foods to this wine.