Blind Tasting results.

Bodegas Virgen del Aguila Coleccion Reserva 2007 from Carinena DOC in Aragon, Spain. It is made up of 60% Tempranillo, 20%Grenache and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and the alcohol is 13.5%. It has been aged in French and American oak for 12 months and then another 24 months in bottle.
So overall I feel happy with what I surmised, alright I got the grapes sort of right but the wrong dominant one and missed the Cabernet.
This wine was from Tesco's and I know it was a steal, if I remember correctly about £5. Not bad and I would give it a score of 83.
Happy drinking!

Quinta El Refugio 2011 Toro Spain

I joined a local wine group this week for a tasting and David - one of the members had very kindly picked 6 wines to taste blind - some were easier than others, this was the fifth wine tasted on the evening. It had the look of a young wine with purple core and narrow purple rim, it had jammy aromas, baked black fruit with only a hint of spice having received 5 months in American Oak barriques. The jamminess continued onto the palate but was accompanied with a sharp blackcurrant which played well dry stalky tannins and fresh acidity. The wine is made from Tinto de Toro grapes - that is Tempranillo to you and me, and has warmth from the alcohol content, 14.5%. Felipe Nalda Jnr, son of Riojanas' master winemaker Felipe Snr is the maker here and the grapes are sourced from selected high altitude vineyards more than 2,000 ft above sea level. Situated in the north-west interior of Spain, and the conditions can be harsh - making the grapes more intense in flavour at times.
This is a wine that can keep for 2-4 years and the fruit may mellow to produce a more elgant wine, it has a muscular personality at the moment, this will stand it in good stead.
Score : 82 and d at Underwoods Wine in Warwick, (£5.79 to David - special price again - and a good price for such a wine).

Minarete Ribera Del Duero 2010 DO. Tempranillo

Minarete Ribera Del Duero 2010 DO made in the Ribera del Duero region of northern Spain, on the spanish side of the Duoro/Duero river.
This area often has a reputation for producing expensive, good quality wines from the Tempranillo grape ( also called Tinta del Pais). This was a steal at the price of £5.49 from Aldi Spermarkets - but was it any good?
Having poured it, we peered into the glasses - great purple ruby colour, and the ripe black cherry aromas and spicy juicy plums - smelt good to us all, and so we tasted it.....
Once more black cherries, blackberry, vanilla and toast, chocolate and coffee hover in the background tantilisingly, the tannins - definite grip but ripe and coating, there was fresh acidity and the alcohol felt well tucked in ( 13.5%) and supported the good structure of this wine well. It had a lovely long finish with a sweet spicey end. My after thoughts - soft, long and full - and please can I have some more!
Well done Aldi ! Amazing value.

Toro Loco Tempranillo 2011 from the Utiel-Requena DOP Spain from ALDI.

Aldi has done it again !
This wine, Toro Loco Tempranillo 2011 is an IWSC silver medal ( International Wine and Spirits Challange - all wines tasted blind ) winner - and beat many wines 10 times its price, and what was the price - £3.59, and an absolute bargain! Many who have never been to Aldi, and have been put off by the thought of 'pile it high, sell it cheap' and cannot shop without 'brands' need to think again, yes it is cheap, but Aldi now use shelves not boxes on the floor, and they also do have some brands...... but..... I would say alot of the own branded ( or names you have never heard of) items are stunning quality, not all and I am sure they are always working towards perfection, and you can now do most of a weekly shop here at about half the price you pay in many other supermarkets! I tend to go to Aldi for the main items and then Waitrose for the specials - the system works well and I save alot of money and occasionally you come across a stunner at Aldi - such as this Toro Loco Tempranillo 2011 from the Utiel-Requena DOP Spain. Another wine worth trying is the Sparkling wine from the Jura.
Tempranillo is a grape variety that we associate with Rioja and Ribera del Duero, it produces some lovely red fruited, juicy wines,  and wow can it age well, often needing other grapes to help it on its way! This wine is from much further south in the Utiel-Requena region and I had expected it to have a high alcohol content, but it was only 12.5% - so bonus points there too!
Pop your nose in the glass and ripe red fruits hit you which include cherry and raspberry, but also crushed cranberry and some toasty spices, all these come through on the palate, bolstered by some black juicy fruits and vanilla. The finish is long and juicy red fruits with a slight bitter citrus edge - which keeps it fresh and clean and interesting. The savoury, tasty tannins remain intact and ripe, the acidity keeps the fruit fresh and the alcohol merely supports the clever structure of this wine - thankyou Aldi!