Wines of the Week

I love bargains and recently I had two very excited folks that I trust run up to me and tell me I had to try these wines.

It is such a nice side benefit of being in the Austin wine community to have friends out there who are just as excited about wines as we all are and just as happy to share their discoveries. Both of these wines are from Spain. The first came from local wine man Dan Redman and importer Classical Wines.

Viña Gormaz ($12) is from Ribero del Duero. It’s 100% Tempranillo from 50-year-old-plus dry-farmed gnarly vines and it never sees oak once. It’s fermented in neutral cement tanks and relies solely on the incredible fruit to create a powerful, minerally, well-structured wine. This is a red wine for quaffing and although it tastes great with grilled meat, it's also a good sipping wine. Amazing stuff. You can find Viña Gormaz at the Austin Wine Merchant, King Liquors, East End Wines, and in the near future at Whole Foods.

The other came via committee vote from my local Twin Liquors wine salespeople. They all agreed I would love it and they were right! Herencia Altés Garnatxa Negra (i.e., Grenache, $10) comes from the Terra Alta which is south of Barcelona about a three-hour drive. I was excited to find out that the owners also make an Altés Blanca and Rosata.

Their red wine requires no aging whatsoever. Do like we did. Just cool it down to about 60 degrees, throw a pork tenderloin on the grill, and enjoy a glass of the Altés with your sweetheart. Right about the time the pork is perfectly done, the air will have added some complexity to the Altés and it will be just right for a dinner under the stars.