The Best Free Wine Tasting in Asheville, NC – Friday, July 31st from 2-7 p.m. – We’re setting our sites and our palates on the wines of Spain this weekend, and we’ll kick things off Friday with a mixed bag of Spanish wines from all over the country. With some of the best wine values in the world, we think you’ll be quite pleased with quality to price ratio on all of the wines we try. Stop by, taste, learn, and save up to 20% on all of the tasting wines.
The Wines
1. 2014 Xarmant Txakoli (Basque Region, Spain) – Xarmant means “charming,” and we’re definitely charmed by the wines of the Basque region in Northern Spain. Realize that the language and the culture of this region are quite different than the rest of Spain, but don’t worry if you have trouble pronouncing the name of this wine or the grapes that are used to make it. Just enjoy it! A lightly spritzy blend of Hondarribi Zuri, Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng, and Petit Manseng, it is bone dry and super refreshing with notes of lime, lemon, green apple, and mineral. Thoroughly chill and chug the hell out of this!
2. 2013 Bodegas Aragonesas “Coto de Hayas” Tinto (Campo de Borja, Spain) – Bodegas Aragonesas is one Northern Spain’s largest cooperatives, and their wines represent some of the best bang for buck you can find in the country. Their 2013 (the new vintage for those who have been buying this for some time) is a blend of 70% Garnacha and 30% Syrah fermented entirely in tank. Ripe, plush, juicy, and infused with peppery spice, this guzzle worthy red is an absolute no-brainer! 89 points Wine Enthusiast – Best Buy
3. 2012 Entre Suelos Tempranillo (La Mancha, Spain) – This modern styled, fully ripe, and oaked red comes from the blazing hot region of La Mancha in Central Spain. 100% Tempranillo aged for six months in French oak, it is dark in color and full in flavor with notes of mocha, coffee, dark cherry and cassis. For fans of softer, more supple Cabernet Sauvignon, this will be right up your alley.
89 points Stephen Tanzer – Vinous Media