Tag Archives: Azul y Garanza

Wine of the week: Azul y Garanza Tempranillo 2020

azul y garanza tempranillo
Azul y Garanza Tempranillo 2020/$12-$18

Neither the pandemic nor the supply chain can stop this Spanish red from offering quality and value

There are many things to like about the Azul y Garanza tempranillo. For one, it comes in a 1-liter bottle, so you get an extra glass for more or less the same price as a 750 ml. It’s made with organic grapes, for those who follow those things. And its importer, Valkyrie Selections, has a portfolio of terrific, inexpensive wines.

But the most important thing to like? This vintage of the wine ($15, purchased, 14.1%) continues the producer’s commitment to everyday wine that we can afford to drink and that won’t insult our sensibilities. The 2020 is a little more rustic and less fruity than previous vintages, while the alcohol is a touch higher than usual (no doubt an attempt to get around the Trump tariff’s 14 percent cutoff).

But the rest is as it should be. The wine opened up after about 20 minutes, showing dark cherry fruit and an almost peppery spiciness. The tannins are more upfront than usual, but they don’t get in the way. Serve it with anything meaty or Spanish, even a chickpea stew or lentils and sausages.

I’m not sure it will return to the Hall of Fame in 2024. Pricing has been all over the place, while availability has been spotty. But it’s still well worth drinking.

Imported by Valkyrie Selections

Wine of the week: Azul y Garanza Tempranillo 2019

azul y garanzaThis vintage of the Spanish Azul y Garanza tempranillo isn’t as interesting as the past couple, but still delivers quality and value

This is the fourth vintage I’ve tasted of the Azul y Garanaza tempranillo, a Spanish red. And each year has been different from the others. That’s incredibly refreshing in our post-modern, all wine must taste alike world.

This time, the Azul y Garanza tempranillo ($13/1 liter, purchased, 14.1%) is a little more rustic and tannic than past vintages, with less cherry fruit. In this, it’s about the opposite of the first vintage I tasted, the 2016, which was softer and fruitier than I normally like. The Azul probably isn’t Hall of Fame quality this time, like the 2017 and 2018. But, like the 2016, it is perfectly enjoyable to drink.

And it remains a fine value, and not just because it’s a liter, with the extra glass and a half of wine. (And, in four vintages, this is the fourth different price I’ve paid – all bought from stores in Texas).

One other thing: Don’t worry about the 14.1 percent alcohol, which is likely a little sleight of hand to get around the 25 percent Trump wine tariff, which applies to Spanish and French wines less than 14 percent. This “adjustment” is happening quite a bit, and it really doesn’t affect the quality of the wine.

Imported by Valkyrie Selections