BODEGAS OCHOA TINTO RESERVA 2012 RIOJA

Aromas of brambly black fruits and cherry poured out of the bottle when I opened this wine. It was a beautiful purple almost black color when poured. The wine looked more heavy-bodied than it tasted and over a period of a few hours it softened and developed a more elegant “French” character. I really enjoyed this wine especially with my after-dinner Bissinger’s chocolate mint. With the mint in my mouth, I could taste the wine’s dark chocolate and eucalyptus notes. This was not an expensive wine, and it was recommended by a salesman at Martin’s Wine Cellar who seemed not to be aware of the Cambridge Dictionary pronunciation of Rioja. Nevertheless, it was a very satisfying wine, dangerously drinkable and one I would have paid a lot more for.

Now here’s what the more expert tasters said: Somebody on Cellar Tracker said:

1/16/2022 – WILDGRANT LIKES THIS WINE:

On the nose and palate this made the think of stewed plums and cherries with almond extract. Medium body, nice with elk tenderloin.

WINEMAKER NOTES: Floral fruity aromas with spicy edges of cacao and pepper. A round mouth with ripe dark broody fruits, tobacco box spices, and crushed velvet tannins that fill the whole mouth with balanced acidity to keep the ample fruit lingering on.
Blend: 60% Tempranillo, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

FROM DRINKS & COMPANY (ONLINE):

TASTING NOTES: View: dark cherry red. Nose: This complex wine offers aromas of black currant, plum, blackberry, chocolate and coffee with notes of toasted oak. Mouth: medium-bodied wine with hints rich and tasty ripe raspberry and a soft, velvety finish. APPELLATION: Navarra (Spain). VINEYARD: Bodegas Ochoa. GRAPES: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo. AGEING: traditional fermentation techniques used in conjunction with barrel aging produce a wine of great distinction. PREPARATION: The grapes for this wine come from various regions, including appellations of the northern and central coast. This supply grape gives the winemaker can choose only the best quality grapes. WINE PAIRING: Ideal to pair with grilled red meats, cheeses or spicy foods. RECOMMENDED SERVING TEMPERATURE: 10-12 ° C ALCOHOL: 13%