Protocolo Tinto 2013

100% Tempranillo from the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla designated part of Spain’s sun soaked La Mancha –at the heart of the country below Madrid where olive orchards, fields of sunflowers, and windmills quilt the land and yet to this day most outsiders who aren’t in the know do not yet know this region other than what they learned in school from Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Taste this Tempranillo and one soon realizes there is not quixotic false idealism to this luscious and spicy Spanish red. A merry muddle of red plums, brown spices, and floral notes on the nose carry over onto a well-structured palate and bright red cherries. Ample tannins for meat off the grill but just as easy to suck down with friends without any food at all.
Wine review by Nicholas Livingston, September 2013

Expert Review

88 Points - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Sep/Oct 13
"(100% tempranillo): Bright ruby. Fresh red berries and cherry pit on the fruit-dominated nose and in the mouth. Smooth and appealingly sweet, offering straightforward fruity appeal and a touch of dark chocolate on the gently tannic finish."

Food Pairings

Very versatile. The better cuts of lamb. Most any meat braised or stewed. Game birds and poultry, especially duck.