Viñedos Bernabeleva Vinos de Madrid Arroyo del Tórtolas

Appropriately pale red. Showing beautifully. Quite delicate and restrained for Grenache, but with all the lovely mixed deep red fruits the variety delivers. Although I know there is nothing worse than Grenache that does not get ripe enough, to my taste the 2013 vintage conditions suited this wine - the alcohol is listed as only 13.5%. It is not as exuberant as in warmer years. I did not get any sense of the harsh tannins described in the notes below. …

Rather closed at present. Started to open at 4 hours after decant. Plenty of structure yet. Check again in a year or two.

Popped and poured, medium-light ruby. Subtle aromas of mineral-laden cherry fruits, sea spray, almond and hints of florals. Medium-light body. Quite the flavor profile, think red fruits like cherry and cranberry combined with tangy, saline minerals accented by a subtle metallic quality and hints of spice...has a certain savory quality that's just carnal. Deceptively powerful beneath the elegance, the astringent tannins carrying everything through on a lengthy close. Seems as though it's built for indefinite aging but hard to say …

WCC Grenache Blind (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY) : Muted red fruit nose. Tart, tight, tannic. Sour and not appealing at this stage. Judgement reserved.