Bodegas Volver Paso a Paso Tempranillo 2022

Since its inception, Bodegas Volver’s Paso a Paso Tempranillo has been one of Jorge Ordóñez’s most compelling wines and one of the world’s best bargains in Tempranillo. As soon as the cork exits the bottle and splashes joyfully into the glass, the 2022 Volver Paso a Paso Tempranillo captivates the eye as well as the nose. It greets the eager taster with a bright violet robe and a redolence that brings both joy and anticipation. Scents of ripe berries, cherries, and currants infused with violet flowers and savory spices tantalize the nose and foreshadow this wine’s smooth, sensuous flavors. In the mouth, cherry and blueberry meld with deft touches of incense and toasted oak to caress the palate. Bold in flavor, yet smooth and easy with nary an edge, the 2022 Volver Paso a Paso Tempranillo provides ample testimony to the glory of Tempranillo from ancient Castilla La Mancha. In short, Volver’s 2022 Paso a Paso Tempranillo provides one fine, satisfying glass of wine, though we bet you won’t want to stop at just one glass. Enjoy this charming Tempranillo from Jorge Ordóñez at cool room temperature (58°-62° F) after affording it a few minutes of aeration. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2028. Enjoy!

One doesn’t need to serve anything with the 2022 Bodegas Volver Paso a Paso Tempranillo, except a second glass. We loved this Tempranillo with and without food, although we bet you will agree that paella, pasta, roasted vegetables, mushrooms, and cured meats such as Spain’s succulent Jamón Serrano or their more readily available Italian cousins in the forms of pepperoni, prosciutto, and salami make splendid accompaniments to Volver’s 2022 Paso a Paso Tempranillo. Stews, sausages, red and white meats, and a variety of cheeses provide equally satisfying companionship. Pulled pork barbecue served with a spicy homemade slaw, roasted green beans, and caramelized onions makes for another tasty pairing with this wine. Chicken Cacciatore served with roasted Brussels sprouts and pancetta provides another splendid companion. One can even make a case for serving the sensuous 2022 Volver Paso a Paso Tempranillo with grilled salmon served on a bed of organic greens with walnuts, cranberries and feta cheese, but whatever you decide to serve… Buen Provecho!

With its beautiful fruit and subtle floral and spice tones, the 2022 Volver Paso a Paso Tempranillo makes an ideal accompaniment to a variety of cow and sheep’s milk cheeses. A glass of the 2022 Paso a Paso Tempranillo with English Farmhouse Cheshire, a slice of authentic Spanish Mahón, or tasty morsels of Danish Havarti, will make any true cheese aficionado dance with delight. For the world’s most delicious gourmet cheeses delivered right to your door, join us at www.cheesemonthclub.com. Savor the day!

Paso a Paso, meaning step by step in Spanish, emanates from organically grown grapes at Volver, the most successful wine venture of the indefatigable Jorge Ordóñez and the most influential importer of Spanish wines in the United States. Volver’s Paso a Paso Tempranillo (this month’s feature) springs from Finca Los Cruces, a single estate vineyard planted in the finest terroir in Castilla La Mancha. Everything about Volver’s 2022 Paso a Paso Tempranillo reflects Ordóñez’s natural hands-on approach to winemaking. Perhaps even more importantly, Volver’s Paso a Paso Tempranillo further establishes La Mancha as a quality wine producing region for Tempranillo, Spain’s flagship grape variety.

With the establishment of Volver, La Mancha has shown the world that Cervantes’ celebrated hero Don Quixote is not the region’s only claim to fame. With Volver’s first release of Mano a Mano in 2004 and Paso a Paso in 2008, Volver’s oenologist/winemaker Rafael Cañizares offers testimony to what Ordóñez and others are claiming about La Mancha: it is a veritable treasure trove of undiscovered wines, many from old vines. Moreover, Rafael Cañizares demonstrates that the Tempranillo wines of La Mancha can be every bit as good as those from Rioja. La Mancha, the once forgotten wine region, is alive and well thanks to Rafael Cañizares and Jorge Ordóñez.

Jorge Ordóñez is the most influential name in Spanish wine. From virtual obscurity in 1987, Ordóñez has risen to the position of guardian, prophet, and zealot all in the name of Spanish wines. He has advanced and revolutionized the Spanish wine industry in all respects. Moreover, he has educated and introduced Americans to a treasure trove of fine Spanish wines.

When he started his quest in 1987, the then 27-year-old Jorge Ordóñez was a voice in the wilderness. Four decades ago, the quality and variety of Spanish wines for export had become nothing short of dismal. Spanish wine sales lagged far behind those of France, Italy, and California and overall quality was variable at best. By the force of his dynamic, visionary personality and sheer hard work, Ordóñez has brought fine Spanish wines to the forefront of American wine drinking. At the same time, the now 64-year-old Ordóñez has improved the overall quality and consistency of Spanish wines. Presently, he oversees an amazing portfolio of hundreds of Spanish wines from 40 different wineries. His name on a bottle of Spanish wine is as close to a seal of quality and value as one can find, simply because “When nobody cared about Spanish wines,” Ordóñez proclaims, “I was there.”

Robert Parker, Jr., the influential wine critic, twice named Jorge Ordóñez Wine Personality of the Year. Others have dubbed this remarkable man The Master from Malaga, and the best friend Spanish wine ever had; while still others claim that Ordóñez has provided the impetus for the present renaissance in Spanish wines. Indeed, this is the Siglo d’Oro or Golden Age of Spanish wine, thanks in large part to Jorge Ordóñez and several other like-minded visionaries.