***I received this wine as a sample***

In general, it has been a fairly mild winter in the DC area.  Sure, there have been some really cold days, and there certainly have been some windy days, but overall, the snow and ice have been staying away.   The one exception was at the end of January.  The Federal government shutdown two hours early, long before the late-afternoon snow started, but when it started, chaos hit the region.  Admittedly, a work colleague was holding a briefing, so several of us stayed late for that.  By the time I left work and walked to the metro, there was a nice covering of snow on the ground.

That night, my commute took an hour and a half instead of the normal 35-45 minutes, but I’m luckier than many.  Some saw their 30-minute commutes balloon into 4-hour fiascos that ended with abandoned cars on the side of the road.  Thankfully, my delays were all underground, in the warmth of the metro.  By the time I walked in the door of our condo, I was wrongly convinced that we would have a snow day, so I opened a Spanish red wine and spent the night relaxing and peeking out the window, giddy as a school child.

The 2007 Señorio de Sarría Crianza (winery) had a dark ruby color and was a blend of 60% Tempranillo and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  On the nose, there were big red berries, a cedar box, and some cooking spices followed by a hint of vanilla and earth.  In the mouth, there were cherries, cedar, and a hint of vanilla.  The wine had low tannins, a light-to-medium body, and medium-to-high acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At a suggested retail price of $13, the key to getting your money’s worth out of this wine is letting it breathe.   A little air helps dampen the alcohol and acidity, giving the wine a better balance.  That said, the rich aromas made me think the wine would have a far more complicated taste, but it’s a solid, food-friendly wine that is definitely worth trying

Suggested Retail Price:  $13
Received as a sample
Overall: 3.5 Corks