Wine Tasting: 2012 Bodegas Breca Old Vine Garnacha

Tonight I decided I wanted to relax and try something with a little change of pace.  That would be the 2012 Bodegas Breca Old Vine Garnacha.

Tasting Notes:
A very dark cranberry sauce like color with scents of cranberry and wet granite. Flavors of allspice and fruitcake jump out at me with late batanicals and an eathen minerality.

Final Thoughts:
Quite smooth and very tasty with a late acidity followed up with a slight warming sensation.  Excellent.  Tonight, I'm a happy man.

Tasting: 2007 Bodegas Luzon Jumilla Alma de Luzon

Today's wine is a blend from Spain called Alma de Luzon.  70% Monastrell, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Syrah.

How I came across this wine was actually quite interesting.  Originally, I was in search of 2006 Tandem Ars Mácula which I had been recommended by a friend.   I searched wine-searcher.com to find it and found a local wine shop carried it.  

So, once I got that I started looking around and a woman giving a wine tasting in the shop asked me if she could help me and I told her the wine I was looking for.  She eyed me wearily and asked me if I was kidding.  I said no, she she pointed at one of the bottles she was giving tastings of and it happen to be exactly what I was looking for.

Anyway, we spoke for a while and she told me that Mácula was in their portfolio then helped me retrieve three bottles of Mácula.  While we were at it, she recommended the Alma de Luzon (of course another product in their portfolio).  She said it was very good, but also warned me that the corks were less than they should be.

Anyway, the Mácula was great (I've already posted about that tasting), but I'm opening the Alma de Luzon today and I have to agree.  This is a very good wine also and she was on the money.  The cork basically came out of the bottle like Gorgonzola cheese.    Not happy about that, but the wine is good!

Anyway, aromas of blueberries, fig, and minerals.  Deep flavors of red fruits, nutmeg and toasty oak make this a beautiful wine if you're willing to deal with the hassle of pulling (and filtering) the poor quality cork out.   It starts out a bit acidity, but within 15 minutes of opening the bottle.  It calms down into a nice balance.

While I wouldn't fight a case of corks, this wine was definitely worth it for at least one (possibly two) go around.