Bodegas Volver Tempranillo la Mancha Single Vineyard 2009

Bright purple. Lively aromas of fresh red berries, cherry and oak spice, with notes of smoky herbs and sandalwood adding complexity. On the oaky side but offers good depth and flavors of creamy raspberry and blueberry. Becomes tangier with air and finishes with clinging sweetness and good length. This wine is sold in some markets as Paso a Paso Organic Tempranillo.

The 2009 Tempranillo is produced from estate-grown fruit aged for 6 months in French oak. Cedar, spices, incense, violets, and blackberry aromas and flavors lead to a nicely proportioned, lengthy red that is similar in personality to its organic sibling but with slightly greater volume and length. This excellent value will drink nicely for another 3-4 years.

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The 2008 Volver is also 100% Tempranillo sourced from 50+-year-old vines and aged for 14 months in new French oak. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it showcases aromas of pain grille, earth notes, spice box, and fragrant blue and black fruits. Supple-textured, super-ripe and concentrated, on the palate it is mouth-filling, savory, and structured enough to evolve for 2ndash;3 years. It can be enjoyed now and over the next 8ndash;10 years. It is a great value that over-delivers in a big way.

Opaque violet. Musky cherry-cola and plum aromas are completed by notes of cured tobacco and cracked pepper. Tangy minerality adds verve to chewy dark fruit flavors, with a brighter raspberry note emerging with aeration. Finishes with solid grip and an echo of pepper. Serve this with a piece of grilled lamb.

There has been viticulture in La Mancha since at least the 12th century, but it is believed that grapes were introduced by the Romans, as they were to the rest of Spain. The harsh conditions of La Mancha: hot (110deg;F.) in summer, cold (5deg;F.) in winter, drought and wind (remember the windmills of Don Quixote) and the old gnarled vines produce this wonderful, rich wine. Deep, brilliant ruby color, aromas of plum and dark, sweet cherries, and flavors of plum, cherry, cardamom, allspice and ginger combine in this full-bodied delicious wine. The smooth tannins, excellent mouthfeel and the long, satisfying finish complete the picture of this delightful wine. Serve with grilled venison fillets, Sparrrsquo;s Calabrese sausages, or sauteacute;ed calves liver; or rent the movie of the same name and serve the wine with manchego cheese. This is a wine to return to again and again!

Bright purple. Dark berries, cherry pit, licorice and tobacco on the nose. Slowly unfolds to offer sappy cassis and bitter cherry flavors lifted by tangy acidity and complicated by a peppery, spicy quality. Finishes gripping and long, with resonating cherry and spice notes. Give this some aeration or a couple more years of bottle age.