Wine Tasting – Montebuena Rioja

Name: Montebuena Cuvée KPF Rioja

Variety: 100% Tempranillo

Region: Rioja, Spain

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: “(100% Tempranillo, raised entirely in American oak): Vivid ruby. Ripe cherry and blackcurrant on the nose and in the mouth. Pliant and seamless in texture, with good heft and back-end energy. Finishes smooth and sweet, with fine-grained tannins providing shape and a grip. Still on the young side but this wine drinks well with an hour or so of decanting; it’s an excellent value for Rioja.”—90 points—Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (September 2012)

My Review: The deep, vivid red of this wine speaks to its full-bodied quality. I initially smelled pepper—black and white pepper that dissipates when the sweetness of cherry, cranberry and licorice take over. This wine had a slight bite in the onset, but finished smooth. I could definitely tell it was oaked: super smooth and almost creamy. I found this wine fairly uncomplicated, a simple red that would be delicious with any meal. 

With food?: I tried this wine on its own, without food.