Vina Real, Crianza, 2012

Price: $10-20

AOC: Crianza, Rioja, Spain

Variety: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, Mazuela y Graciano

Color: Ruby and orange hue

Aroma: medium intensity but has a penetrating red fruit aroma, good!

Palate: medium- body, clear ripe red fruit and juicy acidity, tannin is little, there is some perception of alcohol so sometimes taste very little bitterness, the best part of this wine is the sweet vanilla oak which combines very well with the light body and acidity and makes the wine balanced. A good quality crianza. 

Lopez de Haro, Reserva, 2005

AOC: Reserva, Rioja, Spain
Variety: 90% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano, 5% Garnacha

Aroma: not particularly impressive right after opening, after proper decanting, clear vanilla from american oak, sour cherry from tempranillo show up, red fruit aroma.

Palate: the first impression makes me think of a new world syrah, very little black pepper, clear vanilla, not much sour cherry palate which you would usually get from Tempranillo. After decanting, some sour cherry shows up, medium + body and thickness, savory, clear acidity, clear vanilla, tannin is more than expected, not a classic Tempranillo.