June 21, 2007

Bodega Inurrieta Norte 2003

We haven't tried a lot of Spanish wines, but we're certainly interested in the prospect. Most people think of very specific grapes when they think of Spain (Tempranillo springs to mind) but the folks over at Good Wine Under $20 have discovered a Merlot-Cab blend they like a lot - though you may have some trouble finding it.

This was a rich, smoky wine, with a deep inky crimson color and inviting aromas of spices, flowers, and rich red and black berries. Bodega Inurrieta makes their wine in the Navarra region, which has both warm Mediterranean and cooler Atlantic influences. These different influences help the grapes to develop their full potential without over-ripeness. The flavors of cassis, clove, and cedar were equally rich and inviting and lingered in your mouth, making it a pleasure to drink glass after beautiful glass. And you could do just that because the wine had 13.5% alc/vol despite its rich and flavorful profile. What most impressed me, however, was the wine's superb balance, since the acidity that gave the wine structure was perfectly paired with the fruit and the oak.

Read on at Good Wine Under $20

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