Varietal: 100% Garnacha
Region: Rioja, Spain
Cost: $12 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: This bright and lively wine has vibrant red fruit flavors like strawberry, raspberry, and cherries with nuances of flowers and sweet spices. Deliciously drinkable with soft, silky, fresh intensity, this will will not disappoint. Very versatile, this wine pairs well with vegetables, meats, pastas, or your favorite appetizers.
My Review: Both my wife and I are big fans of Spanish wine, which is why when I had a chance to try Campo Viejo’s first single varietal Garnacha, I couldn’t pass it up. Friday the 20th of September was International Grenache Day, and while I didn’t get to sip on the wine that day because of travel, I made a point of opening it up as soon as I got home, in part because wine was needed after traveling home with a dog that, quite frankly, does not like the car.
Aromas of red fruit and spice jumped right out at me, and in the mouth the wine was bright with flavors of strawberry being the most prominent, but with hints of raspberry adding a bit of tartness to the wine. A semantic argument could be made as to whether the wine is light-medium or medium-light bodied, but either way it doesn’t linger overly long, getting in, letting you know it’s there, and leaving politely like a good house guest should.
While we didn’t pair the wine with any food, this would have been a good wine to open with a variety of appetizers or tapas – the flavors of the wine are adaptable and will work well with a variety of foods. For $12 it’s a good value wine and definitely one that I will keep an eye out for when my wife and I are looking for that easy sipper to go with our usual weekend lunches of appetizers. We’ve had good experiences with wines from Campo Viejo before, and their 2012 Garnacha definitely continues the trend of affordable, quality wines.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
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