Protocolo Red 2009
T his wine was one of the first wines that Dennis reviewed when we started BottleReport 3 years ago. I bought a bottle and was going to review it but he beat me to it.
I view March as when we launched BottleReport.com. We had posted a few things prior but we didn’t discover that local wine tastings held the key to us having content that people might want to read. Dennis reviewed Protocolo being a great wine and a reasonable price. I wanted to review it because it was reasonably priced and happened to be a good wine. I settled for taking a picture of the bottle.
Today Mrs. Dan found it on sale at Fresh Market 2 for $10. Hey, 5 bucks a bottle makes me happy.
And so does this wine. This wine has some really nice fruit forward punch to it. But it has a hint of minerality that keeps it in check. It has a hint of tartness on first sip but you don’t notice it on the second. We had some while cooking dinner and as we nibbled on Smoked Gouda with Bacon and Irish Skellig cheese. Tasted wonderful with these cheeses. We were making shrimp and grits, a meal that any Southerner would love. I’m impressed that my Yankee wife would make it (she’s made it a couple of times). She does try to make it a bit healthier by using some olive oil instead of butter. Typical Yankee messing up a good thing. Doesn’t she know that butter is the answer to everything.
I visited the Eguren website and found only up to the 2008 vintage. I figure this label and bottle are for the US market. The label on the website doesn’t look anything like it.
Their website and other review sites say this is a 100% Tempranillo. The bottle doesn’t say what varietal it is only that it’s “Red Wine.” On the website they refer to it as “Tinto” which is Spanish for “red” until you get to the English side of the site and it turns to red. I’m skittish about spending too much money on Tempranillos. About half of the ones I’ve tried are great. Usually they are wines featured at Wine World or Vineyward Wine Market at tastings. But the ones I find for my usual under $10 mantra are too acidic or mineraly. Many are “food wines” and need the right food pairing to taste like … well… good. I don’t have the time or patience to cook special foods to “fix” wines when I can drink one that’s good to go.
So, this wine at $5 is a steal. This is the kind of wine I can enjoy before dinner (while we cook), during dinner (it is a nice food wine) and after dinner as I prop my feet up and watch old movies. (Tonight we are watching the Wizard of Oz. It’s every parent’s duty to introduce their child to the Wizard of Oz so they can tell their kids how the flying monkeys scared the bejeebers out of them. I can’t help but laugh as Mr. Ben hides under the blanket. I used to hide under the bed, The only difference I didn’t hide under the bed with an iPad).
Here’s what Dennis said back in February 2009: “You will be hard-pressed to find an everyday table wine better or more affordable than this. It’s a medium-bodied wine made of Tempranillo grapes that’s silky smooth, with lush fruit flavors. It has a deep-red color and inviting berry aromas. A sip brings complex flavors of raspberry, vanilla and cherry. The soft texture is backed by solid structure and a long finish.”
That kinda sums it up. Being 2 for $10 I’m looking forward to having some another night. Also “Happy Birthday BottleReport”.
From: Spain
Winery: Dominio de Eguren
Year: 2009
