Wine Review - 2010 Borsao Crianza: Mmmmm Espresso

We had this wine many years ago when we lived in the US and we remember enjoying it.  From Bodegas Borsao and the Campo de Borja region, this is a 60% Garnacha, 20% Tempranillo, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon blend which has been aged in oak for at least 8 months and then bottle aged for an additional 14 months.  It is this patience before going to market that makes this such a good wine.

A medium bodied wine with deep purple colouring it certainly is showing it's age with some nice mahogany edges.  It looks really great and cascades down the glass in a sheet.  Extremely nice looking wine especially after a swirl.

Chocolate AND vanilla bean hit you immediately when you stick your nose right in there.  That is quickly followed by plums and some toasty oak notes. A solid bouquet that makes one think the wine is earthier than it is but very nice.

There are cherries and a recurrence of the chocolate on the palate but this time there is a nuttiness in the wine as opposed to vanilla notes from the nose.  This wine is very close to having a great balance but the mid-point tannins are a touch bitter.  That said there is a nice strong espresso finish that lingers on the tongue.  Nice drinking wine and without the bitter mid-palate it would have pushed it from being a good to a great wine.

	Tasting Notes:	Score:
Sight (0-5)	Medium bodied and dark purple with mahogany edges.	4.25
Smell (0-5)	Chocolate and vanilla with plums and toasted oak notes.	4.0
Taste (0-10)	Cherries and chocolate come through with a nuttiness on the tongue. Bitter mid-palate transitions into an espresso finish.	8.5
	Total:	16.5 / 20 (82.5%)

This is a $18.50 wine locally and that feels like a good price point.  We're no wine makers but if that bitterness was toned down just a bit this wine would have been fantastic.

Keep on tasting!

Chris & Shannon