Wine Spectator 90 points

Flavors include rose petals, hints of cumin and nutmeg, pomegranate and sour cherry.

Previous Vintage Tasting Notes

2006 Vintage Tasting Notes

"Captures the racy minerality of the Spanish grape, while amping it up to New World fruit standards. You get fruit-powered richness, with citrus and peach, along with lively acidity and a steely core." - Paul Gregutt

Abacela's Estate is the Northwest's big daddy Tempranillo. Wine experts from Europe and the US repeatedly describe this wine as the best Tempranillo in the US.

Oregonian, March 1, 2009, from Matt Kramer: "Dense, succulent yet supple red wine, it delivers the signature spice, black currant and berry flavors that make this variety so singularly enjoyable. Worth noting is that, unlike some other wines from Abacela that have lately become overly smooched by oak, this 2006 "Estate" tempranillo is just lightly kissed by its time in small oak barrels." "This is truly great red wine from an outstanding vintage. Serve with a rack of lamb, a long-simmered bean stew, a beef stroganoff or any other dish that shows off the delights of a rich, yet graceful red wine, and you'll be impressed. It's worth the $34.95 asking price."

The 2006 vintage, the tenth release of our signature Tempranillo, is deeply colored and powerfully structured with intense aromas and flavors of ripe black fruits, savory spice, cassis, and smoke.

Experience suggests this wine will age easily for five to seven years and offer a long plateau of maturity. If patience fails aeration is recommended.

We also suggest saffron and pimenton dusted lamb with chèvre and sun dried tomato-stuffed peppers. - the winery

Previous Vintage tasting notes

2005 Vintage Tasting Notes

"Terrific"..."Superb"..."a Triumph" -Matt Kramer, Oregonian (Wine Spectator)

Matt Kramer devoted his entire Sunday column in the Oregonian to this wine, saying: "This week's recommendation should rock your red wine world -- an exceptional red made from a variety that, although widely grown in Europe, is not yet esteemed on our shores, let alone much grown here in America. One taste and you'll wonder why, I assure you."

He continues: "This is terrific tempranillo: dense yet impressively refined. The barrel treatment affords the polish and smoothness achieved by small French oak barrels (few of them new, which helps reduce an invasive vanilla scent)."

Comparing it to Spanish Tempranillo, he said: "This is superb tempranillo, not just by embryonic American standards but by the standards of Spain itself. Rich, dense, redolent of plums, blackberries and spice, this is an ideal red for roast beef, a well-aged steak or a great plate of scalloped potatoes."

Finally, "Based on the stellar quality of Abacela's "Estate" tempranillo, various parts of Southern Oregon have more than mere promise for this slightly spicy red grape."

"Highly Recommended" by Avalon- a sensuous delight! Abacela's higher end Tempranillo after the "intro level".

From the winery: A remarkable geological fault line transects our estate. The contrast between soils derived form ancient mountains and those from youthful sea floor sediments could not be greater. Our 2003 Estate Tempranillo was constructed with select wine lots from both soil types and the blend is an intense, concentrated, full-bodied wine. Typical varietal characteristics of ripe blackberry and plum, mineral, cedar, and tobacco persist from the bold entry through the lengthy finish.

Enjoy over the next four to seven years with seared pork chop and chorizo-oregano gravy. 2003 Estate Tasting Notes

Highly Recommended by Avalon- a sensuous delight! Abacela's higher end Tempranillo after the "intro level".

From the winery: A remarkable geological fault line transects our estate. The contrast between soils derived form ancient mountains and those from youthful sea floor sediments could not be greater. Our 2003 Estate Tempranillo was constructed with select wine lots from both soil types and the blend is an intense, concentrated, full-bodied wine. Typical varietal characteristics of ripe blackberry and plum, mineral, cedar, and tobacco persist from the bold entry through the lengthy finish.

Enjoy over the next four to seven years with seared pork chop and chorizo-oregano gravy.

Wine Press NW says: "Earl and Hilda Jones first planted this Spanish varietal in 1995 and it's made them famous. This is their regular bottling, and you'll find bing cherries embraced by oak, earthiness and hay in the nose. Strawberries and more cherries fill the mouth with some anise and nice spice."

Enjoy now with steaks or lamb or Cajun and in a couple of years with lamb, veal, venison or mushroom accented dishes. Two to four years bottle aging should highlight the fruit and dried floral nuances of this wine.