![]() Owned and run by John and Jane Giguiere, the original founders of the R.H. Purposely located off the beaten path in the Dunnigan Hills of Yolo County, California in the tiny town of Zamora, the folks at Matchbook fashion highly acclaimed wines, including the estate’s exemplary 2015 Tinto Rey Dunnigan Hills Tempranillo (this month’s feature). Matchbook’s Tinto Rey is where Spain meets California and more. In other words, the 2015 Matchbook Tinto Rey Tempranillo is a real crowd pleaser, requiring only a large clean glass to work its magic. Aged Manchego or Mahón cheese provides a simple, but tasty accompaniment, too, though none of our tasting panel members objected to a second glass with nary a morsel. Smoky paella prepared with chicken, chorizo, and almost anything else that strikes one’s fancy also makes a splendid companion to the 2015 Tinto Rey Tempranillo. Equally gratifying is a well-trimmed beef tenderloin topped with a delectable portabella mushroom sauce that is served with creamy mashed potatoes, pearl onions, and roasted Brussel sprouts. Grilled lamb chops marinated in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary and served with garlic mashed potatoes and root vegetables makes a splendid partner. Throughout Castilla y Leon and much of Spain, beef and lamb provide the preferred protein to accompany the country’s fine Tempranillo-based wines, and so it is with Matchbook’s 2015 Tinto Rey Dunnigan Hills Tempranillo. It’s a wine fit for a king and is easily appreciated by the court and all of the king’s subjects with minimal aeration. Harmonious and multilayered, the 2015 Matchbook Tinto Rey Tempranillo lives up to its noble name Tinto Rey, meaning Red King. In the mouth, the wine’s fruit and spice tones are pure elegance, providing silky smooth flavors that continue to unfold from the moment the wine is poured until the last satiny drop gleefully slides down the eager throat. Aged in oak barrels for 29 months in the fashion of the finest wines of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, the 2015 Matchbook Tinto Rey Dunnigan Hills Tempranillo sports a deep garnet color and a beguiling nose of red and black fruits infused with smooth vanilla tones. Not only does this smooth potion hail from primarily Tempranillo grapes (80% Tempranillo, 9% Petit Verdot, 8% Tannat, 3% Graciano) from Zamora, California, it resembles the splendid red wines of Zamora, Spain, a prized viticultural area astride the mighty Duero River that enjoys worldwide repute for exceptional Tempranillo-based wines. "An eclectic blend of Petite Sirah, Petite Verdot, and Teroldego yields a deep lovely wine that’s smooth, juicy and seamless, lush with ripe berry fruit and a long finish.California definitely meets Spain in Matchbook’s estate 2015 Tinto Rey Dunnigan Hills Tempranillo. This inaugural vintage earned a well-deserved 92 Point score from Anthony Dias Blue, famed Wine & Spirits Editor for Bon Appetit. Full-bodied and rich, it brings firm, oaky tannins that lead into a long and powerful - yet somehow silky smooth - finish. Just like its namesake, the wine is muscular and strong, offering dense flavors of blueberry, black plum, and vanilla that are highlighted by notes of purple flowers and chocolate. But with their newest bottling, the 2019 Pillars of Hercules, they might just have outdone themselves.Ī blend of 63% Petite Sirah, 24% Petit Verdot, and 13% Teroldego (a rare Italian grape), Hercules sets a new bar for what California red under $20 can be. Under the label Matchbook Wines, they produce some of our - and our customers' - favorite California bottlings, including Tinto Rey, Arsonist Chardonnay, and Black's Station Cabernet. The Giguiere family have lived and farmed in Yolo County since the 1850s.
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