Another slightly sharp Rioja Crianza. Boy do I feel taken — the wine crew at Whole Foods managed to write an entire paragraph of gushy prose about this wine. They either have dead taste buds or an indiscriminate need to move bottles. I suppose it is possible that this wine could open up if I let it breathe for a good 45 minutes. But I didn’t have the patience to try that.
paid: $10
scored: 81
Somehow I doubt even 3 years in oak could take the edge off this Rioja (it was in fact matured for about 1 year in oak). This is a good example of the importance of high quality fruit for making a high quality wine — and conversely, how marginal fruit makes for sharp wine. If you are looking for a tasty Tempranillo, check out the Torremoron instead (from a different but nearby appellation).
paid: $13
scored: 80