Hello and welcome,
Today I'd like to share what I have discovered to be my go-to wine this year in 2020. Let me start out by saying, I'm not necessarily a professional wine drinker but it is definitely something I enjoy as a hobby so-to-speak. For me, it's not really about "just give me the thing that will get me drunk" it's more about fully enjoying the entire experience. From picking out the bottle - which I sometimes tend to research a bit, to get opinions and flavor profiles before I buy - all the way to the immediate explosion of flavor as it touches the tip of my tongue and sensing the change of taste, rolling back and down the throat. Something I can really appreciate -and not found in all wines- is when there is a real multi-dimension of flavor. I have come to find a true love and respect for wine in a way that I never thought possible.
Go ahead, get comfy and allow me to take you on this journey of wine discovery. Let us first discuss what can be found in my wine fridge today.
Yes, this fridge in my living room is fully loaded and full disclosure, there is one wine that could not fit, so it is patiently waiting to be seated and currently in my bedroom for the time-being. There are a select few wines in here that hold a special place in my heart and shall not be touched until a special event merits the opening. However, for the most part, a lot of these wines are easily obtainable here in Arizona and are a delight to the senses. I like to keep a well-rounded variety since everyone has their own preference in taste.
For myself, I like a red wine that takes you to the deepest, darkest parts of the earth - where even if you yell for help, no one would hear you scream, but you find a sense of pleasure and comfort in the hint of sweetness you might find- that's just me. I know there is a likelihood that many do not share this sentiment and if you are one of those people, please click away and look no further. However, if you find yourself still with me and ready to know what I have been buying multiples of all year, then let's continue on.
To dive a little deeper into how I have obtained my current collection, I will have to say that it takes some effort and a labor of love to get to this point. When I travel to different cities and states that have wineries or vineyards, I sometimes find myself researching my way into a proclaimed wine day. With that, I usually pick out a flight of each places' offerings and if I get a taste of something that tickles my fancy, then I will bring a bottle home. Another thing that I have come to enjoy, are Wine Tasting Events. We went to one in February this year near Tucson where we picked up quite a few bottles. One winery of which you can see in the photo above, Four Tails Vineyard - the place that took me by surprise and opened my heart to Tempranillo - which is indeed one of the wines that I purchased. They call this wine "Short Temper" and all of their wines feature a dog on the label with an appropriate name to go along with it, which I find to be so adorable.
I have not explored all of vineyards of Arizona by any means, but I think next year (pending the worlds situation) we will definitely be planning more trips to visit these places. Four Tails Vineyard for instance, is located in a small town in Arizona called Pearce which is slightly South-East of Tucson (bottle says Wilcox, but when I look them up, it says Pearce). Within that area, there are definitely a lot of wine-related places to visit so I can see that being an overnight trip for ourselves at some point in the (hopefully) near future.
Without further ado, here is it is, the wine you have been waiting for. This is not a local Arizona wine, but it is available at Total Wine and I'm sure a few other places. It is a Spanish wine and not too expensive for what it is. It is considered to be bold in flavor with lovely fruit undertones.
2013 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva
This is a Tempranillo Blend and I am so happy to have found it. More info about this wine can be found here. At this point, when I am buying more, I am purchasing multiple bottles at a time just so that I always have an extra bottle or two on hand (generally speaking, I buy more for a variety factor than for bulk). This way, I can open a bottle without a care in the world because I still have another bottle of it ready to go. I highly recommend and will continue to buy this wine in the future.
So, that is my go-to wine for 2020 and who knows what 2021 will have in store. Knowing that I've got a full year of wine-fun ahead of me between the wine membership I recently signed up for at an Arizona Vineyard, Javelina Leap (more info about that in my previous post here) as well as other wine trips within Arizona in mind, I'm sure I will pick up more than a few goodies along the way.
Stay tuned for more to come! My next post will hopefully be coming in just a few weeks, as we are planning to go to a Pumpkin Fest in a place that is just an hour or so North of Phoenix, Arizona. Probably won't be related to wine, but I expect to be quite fun and memorable.
P.S.
You might enjoy some things that I offer on my shop page. They are all items that I have designed and crafted myself. I am always adding new items, so please pop in on occasion to see what's new, I am currently dreaming up some things related to wine. Click the link below: