Colorado Sipping

I've just returned from a fortnight in CO where I tried nine wines, all but one reds, that came within the parameters of this blog. I bought these at Cheers Liquors in Colorado Springs, an establishment that, both in the variety of its wine selections and in its prices, puts the PA state monopoly to shame. Only two of these wines are presently available here.

1) Woop Woop Shiraz 2008. This is an Australian fruit bomb, with plum and blackberry predominant and strong tannins kicking in at the end. $.8.99, $.10.49 in PA.

2) Garnache del Fuego. Grenache is a hot weather grape and in the South of Aragon where this wine is from it gets plenty of that. The wine lives up to its name, it's fiery, tart, acidic with elements of dark cherry and blackberry. Some people might find that it goes over the line, but I rather liked it. $8.99, a dollar more in PA.

3) Altes de La Hoya Jumilla 2008. This Spanish wine from the extreme South is made from grapes grown in very sandy soil. For that reason the vines, almost alone in Europe, were spared in the great phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century. The wine is robust, with cherry prevalent and some tannins. $9.99.

4) Las Olas Verdejo 2009. This Castilian white from Rueda is straw colored and just slightly bubbly. Citrus elements are predominant and it stops just short of being bitter. $8.99.

5) Oniro 2008. This wine, predominantly a Monastrell (85%) and aged for four months in oak, is grown in Southeastern Spain. It is a very nice mix of dark cherry and chocolate flavors with a hint of licorice and just enough tannins to make it interesting. $8.99.

6) Lasendal Garnatxa 2007. This is mostly made from Monastrel (85%) with Syrah making up the rest, Plum and blackberry predominate and, be forewarned in case you don't like this in a wine, it's highly peppery. $9.99.

7) Delatour Malbec 2008. This Languedoc red has very little in common with the Argentinian Malbecs. It tastes of plum and licorice and, unless it's allowed to breathe for at least an hour, is quite rough. $6.99.

8) Nolia Garnacha 2009. This young Catalan wine tastes of plum and dark berries and has a considerable element of zest to it. A good buy at $7.99.

9) Casabayo Tempranillo 2008. Aged for six months in oak and 100% Tempranillo, the favored grape of Rioja, this red comes from the region of Toledo. It tastes of red cherry and vanilla and, even after prolonged breathing, is still on the tart side. $9.99.