Vinedos de Aldeaneuva

On June 30, Acton Wine & Spirit Co. hosted a special wine tasting with six Spanish winemakers. This was an exceptional event. I am going to address each of the Spanish winemakers and their wines in their own post.

I next met and spoke with David Sampredo of Bodegas Vinedos de Aldeaneuva. This winery was founded in 1956 and is located in the Rioja Baja region. They create inexpensive, every day drinking wines. David was friendly and helpful. Another enjoyable winemaker to talk to. He led me through the three wines he brought for the tasting.

2005 Cortijo III White ($7.99)--This wine is made from 100% Viura and sees no oak. It was a crisp and aromatic white wine with flavors of apricot and citrus. It was not one of my favorite wines, as I am not a big fan of whites, but the others with me enjoyed it.

2005 Cortijo III Rioja ($7.99)--This is 100% Tempranillo and does not see any oak. This is a smooth, fruity and easy drinking Rioja. It is a simple but flavorful wine. You could drink this without food. It has character which elevates it above many similar wines of this price range. An excellent value wine.

2003 Cortijo II Crianza Rioja ($11.99)--This Crianza is made of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 10% Mazeulo. It spends 12 months in French and American oak. This is a more complex wine, with more flavors of spice and vanilla. The fruit is a bit more subdued. It is all well balanced and still an excellent value at this price.

Kudos to David Sampredo!