Venta Morales La Mancha Tempranillo 2008

Deep, dark, and beautifully perfumed, the 2008 Venta Morales is the perfect example of how good old vine La Mancha Tempranillo can be in the hands of a master winemaker. No other wine region in Spain has so much of its land devoted to the vine. Yet, La Mancha receives so little recognition. However, we think that scenario is about to change with the renaissance of this ancient viticultural area and the presence of Jorge Ordonez and other astute importers who have begun culling the ancient vines of La Mancha for treasures the likes of Venta Morales. From old vines springs Venta Morales, a wine ripe with the sensuous aromas of black cherries, juicy ripe plums, and whole black currants. Moreover, on the palate the Venta Morales nearly explodes with the exuberance of fruit, spice, and finely grained tannins that perfectly frame the wine’s hedonistic entry. Easy to drink, yet provocative in the best sense of the word, the 2008 Venta Morales makes a statement about the country wines of Spain that France and Italy can rarely match today. Friendly, interesting, and utterly satisfying, one could hardly ask more of this wine than it delivers. We suggest drinking the 2008 Venta Morales Tempranillo at cool room temperature (60º-66º F) with little or no aeration in order to capture all the youthful exuberance that Venta Morales has to offer.

Although not a typical sit around and sip kind of wine, the 2008 Venta Morales Tempranillo will turn more than a few heads on its own. Nonetheless, we suggest you serve this delightful Spanish beauty with simple, hearty dishes. One of our favorite companions to this wine is a thick turkey soup, loaded with root vegetables, and served with freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese and homemade spinach bread. With this hearty meal, Venta Morales has a way of turning a mid week meal into a veritable feast. Hamburgers, pizza, frittatas, and country ham all pair superbly with this wine as well. A jambalaya, made with fresh fish, mussels, chicken, and sausage, and served with a Creole sauce with rice and beans, provides another winning combination with the 2008 Venta Morales, but then again almost anything will taste better with Venta Morales at its side. Enjoy!

Venta Morales is a brand new venture and a collaborative effort between Jorge Ordonez and the family of Juan Gil, two of the most venerable names in Spanish wines. Jorge Ordonez, the importer of many of Spain’s finest wines and greatest wine values, is as responsible for the wine renaissance sweeping Spain as any single individual. Venta Morales is the product of old Tempranillo vines that lay nestled around the quaint village of Villanueva in the heart of the vast, sweeping plateau of La Mancha. Here the Tempranillo grape thrives in the arid Mediterranean climate and the sandy, rocky, calcareous clay soils of the Spanish meseta. The warm growing season of La Mancha encourages the development of ripe dark fruit flavors, deep color, and long balanced tannins. Venta Morales Tempranillo is hand made in small batches from vineyards that yield less than two tons per acre. It is one of the finest country wines from any nation in the market today.