Tempranillo Archives

It’s getting harder and harder to hide my love for Aldi wines. So I tried another one – and, Aldi Corporate People, I’ll keep reviewing them if you want to send them to me. Please.

I heart the Tempranillo grape. But, if you didn’t know, I tend to be more partial to the off-the-beaten-path grapes like Temp, Montepulciano, Carmenere, and Malbec (which isn’t so out there anymore).

It’s very Spanish – in fact, it might be the quintessence of Spanish wine. (Moreso, IMHO, than Garnacha.) So much so that the last time we all went out for tapas, that was the grape. And the time before that, and the time before that.

I know people for whom the Vina Deana 2009 Tempranillo is indeed the house red. Should it be for you? Read the review and rock on!

Vina Decana 2009 Tempranillo Review

This is from Aldi.

I have to get that out there – and you can read all about quite a few other Aldi wines here on the Metasip site.

But one reason I have to say that up front is because some people will never try a wine because it’s from Aldi, and others will never try a wine because it’s under $5.

As the 12-year-old in this house would say…”Pish posh to you, sir.”

We found this for under $5 and liked what it did. “Full bodied.” At least if you believe the label. Opened up after a few minutes, and the second glass was better than the first.

Taste

It’s got a great nose, but not one that will burn your nostrils. Powerful, but not overpowering. Peppery. Some fruit – black cherry mostly – and stands up to food. (Served with…uh…Sloppy Joes and oven-fried potatoes. Don’t judge.)

I wouldn’t call it crazy-tannic, but there were some tannins.

Profile

This is a 2009 Tempranillo. Utiel Requena, Crianza – it’s got the official Spanish wine seal on it, so Aldi doesn’t mess around. ABV of 12.5% – yes, that seems like a low number in comparison to some of the more powerful reds out there.

Value

Until I’m named the official wine critic of Aldi stores, I’m just going to keep banging the drum on the value you’ll get from just about everything in the store. We did not pay $5 for this, and it’s a great wine for the money.

It’s probably worth $10 or more a bottle.

Metasip Grade: B

Can’t go to B+ here, but that’s okay – the equivalent of an 85-point wine on other scales, but for less than $5? This could very well be your house wine for years to come.

The bottle says – on the back – that Tempranillo is “the perfect everyday wine to drink with pizza, burgers and fried foods.”

AND, we think, if you’re shopping at Whole Foods, where we found this wine, you can do a lot worse than (if memory serves) $6 a bottle.

To the review…

Taste:

We should probably post a picture of the back of the bottle, right?

That part where they tell you what it tastes like, and then you can ask yourself whether or not it’s spot on?

We tasted the “ripe strawberry and cherry flavors.” We also got a little peppery spice nose. And, while drinking it, we tried NOT to think “hey, this didn’t cost too much.” Because it didn’t taste like it was a six-dollar bottle.

Profile:

100% Tempranillo. As is usual with these guys, no clue what year. That’s okay – I think it’s supposed to be table wine.

Value:

Solid value – actually, if you’re heading out for a BYOB meal somewhere, this is a really good choice.

Metasip Grade: B

Now – a little something about the grading scale here. We’ll talk more about it down the road, but just because something is a “B” doesn’t make it bad. And if it’s not a “B+” that doesn’t mean it’s subpar. And so on…

Remember back in school, the typical US grading scale? 100 is not just an A, it’s an A+. 90 is an A-, 89 is a B+. I’m sure we could come up with an infographic to explain our ratings and whatnot, but we’d rather just tell you whether or not it’s worth your time (and money).

As this site evolves – and ratings evolve – we’re sure you’ll take exception to what we have to say. AND THAT’S THE POINT. Tell us what you think…or tell us about other wines, beers, and spirits you’ve tried. We’d LOVE to hear from you!