*tasting note at the bottom

**Part of the ‘Spanish Value Experiment

Next up is Vina Santa Marina ‘Torremayor’ 2014, a 100% Tempranillo wine with ’12 Meses in Barrica’ proudly displayed across the front of the label; quite traditional compared to the last few bottles! Perhaps a little less traditionally, this is a quality wine from a serious producer from Extremadura, the wild-west of Spanish wine-making. Extremadura is a huge region, stretching from the western border with Portugal towards the middle of the country, enveloping 2 of Spains largest provinces in Caceres and Badajoz. Despite being the 4th most productive region of the country, most of the grapes grown here have been destined for bulk wine sales or, more commonly, distillation for the enormous Brandy de Jerez industry in southern Spain. My own personal experience has been limited to a single producer, Bodegas Habla, with their powerful but balanced wines and confusing labelling system.

So, what to expect from Vina Santa Marina ‘Torremayor’? Well, much like Bodegas Habla, and indeed many of the more exciting projects in the region, they’ve set up shop relatively recently; 1999 to be precise. Their estate is 200ha, of which 61 are planted with vineyards, and they’ve taken a no-expenses-spared approach to wine-making, with a brand new facility, new oak barrels and an expansive cellar. My experience with new wineries of this nature in Spain is that they’re generally set up for export markets, with well-made, polished wines designed to appeal to markets such as Germany, the UK, the USA and Scandanavia. As always, there’s only one way to find out!

Tasting Note

100% Tempranillo from their estate in at the foot of the Lamoneda Mountains. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 12 months in an unspecified combination of new French and American oak. 13.5% ABV

Deep and brooding in the glass; I’m not typically a fan of Tempranillo when its overly extracted so there’s some concern here. Ripe black cherries, plum and brambly fruits are matched with sweet vanilla, baking spices, dark chocolate and that sappy, herbal quality that Tempranillo always manages to display. Creamy and soft on the palate, with ripe tannins, a rich texture and a surprisingly good balance between the heavy flavours and acidity. A little one-dimensional perhaps, but lovely for all that, with a surprisingly long finish. This is quite ambitious stuff for the price point, and puts a lot of equally or higher-priced Ribera del Duero to shame! 89pts

Purchased from Vinissimus for €8.55