Sipping Something Spanish & Twisted

Note: As a disclaimer, I’d like to point out I received this bottle for review from Wine Q. However, I would also like to add that I purchased the same bottle when visiting Twisted Oak back in April, which should relieve any worry you might have about trusting my honesty. (Not that you should ever worry about trusting me…)

I opened this bottle while I attempted to prepare the meal I’d planned the prior evening: a leg of lamb to be grilled, along with roasted potatoes and broccoli. Due to circumstances such as a broken oven, still-frozen meat and no grill cover, I decided to scrap my plans altogether and make something different. After half a glass of Twisted Oak’s 2005 The Spaniard, I opted to save the rest for the next day when I would be less frustrated. Recorked and refrigerated over night, I took the mostly full bottle to work with me the next day.

That extra 16-18 hours of being open seemed to help make the wine incredibly smooth. I shared it with my four co-workers, who all raved about it, remarking on its deep color and softness. Now, these are not people who are scared to tell you if they don’t like a wine you bring in. So, the fact that two or three mentioned getting a bottle for themselves is yet another reason to feel secure purchasing this bottle yourself.

Now for the actual review: On opening the bottle, I found the cherry and other fruit to be a little tart, along with cocoa, vanilla, and leather. Good body and well-balanced. The next afternoon opened up a whole new world. The nose exploded with cinnamon, leather, plum, blackberry, and later settled into slight notes of violets and coffee. It was like unpeeling an onion –minus the tears–  as the layers revealed themselves gracefully. My tongue took turns with different dance partners: first black cherry, then fig, then pepper, a stack of smoke, and finally, cinnamon toast. We all thought it was super smooth to be a fairly young wine. You’ll think you were in Rioja, since it’s made from 64% Tempranillo, 21% Graciano, and 15% Garnacha, . But you’ll know it was made at a crazy little winery in Murphys, CA, when you read the back label. What better way to describe such a concoction than with blatant references to one of my favorite movies ever: The Princess Bride, itself a delightful blend of comedy, tragedy, and romance.