An H-E-B Wine Hit

Thirty-year-old Tempranillo vines provided grapes for a bottle of wine I served this past weekend. I was making a dish of pasta and sausage, and wanted a medium-bodied red to serve with it. I drink a lot of Spanish wines, and am usually happy with them, and this one was no exception. It was a 2010 Crianzna from Anciano, (Valdepeñas DO).

The sausage was spicy, and there were also olives and onions. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks, then put in oak (American, Hungarian and French) for at least six months. Cherry and vanilla dominate, in a pleasant manner, and a chewy mouthfeel made this bottle a hit with my guests. (The spiciness of the sausage seemed to elevate the cherry notes, and the vivid fruit was refreshing with the richness of the sausage.)

You can find this bottle at H-E-B. for around $12, and I am now looking for an Anciano Gran Riserva; I’ll let you know how it is drinking when I locate one.