From: Yakima Valley, WA
Blend: Tempranillo
Taste: This Yakima Valley Tempranillo is a limited, glorious marvel. In the glass, this wine shows those classic, beguiling notes of cherry and tobacco every Tempranillo-lover craves. Surrounding that core, are layers of dark cherry, black currant, citrus peel, wet stone and dried herbs with notes of leather and forest. On the palate, those nuanced aromas translate to a medium-full body with gorgeously integrated acidity and tannins, balanced ABV levels, and a lingering, dry-but-not-austere finish. This wine is incredibly polished and with only 171 cases produced, not to mention it’s ridiculously low $23.85/btl price, it’s bound to go quickly.
Pairing: Wildly versatile, Tempranillo pairs with a multitude of dishes. Anything from comfort foods like lasagna, pizza and dishes with tomato-based sauces to outdoorsy, pit-master affairs celebrating everything BBQ: grilled-meats, meaty vegetables, and smoky dishes. We love Tempranillo’s with grits, polenta, and dishes with corn as a major ingredient (we’re sharing two polenta-based recipes by David Tanis below), and Mexican food such as tacos, nachos, burritos, and chile rellenos.
Polenta al Forno With Spinach, Ricotta and Fontina
By David Tanis
Polenta and Sausages for a Crowd (Polenta alla Spianatora)
By David Tanis
About. Idilico is the only winery in Washington focusing exclusively on Spanish varietals grown in the unique Washington State vineyards. Spanish varietal wines are the most pleasurable wines around. Who doesn’t love a deep and structured Tempranillo, a juicy and luscious Garnacha or a steely acid driven Albariño?
Washington vineyards are ideally suited to grow the finicky Spanish cultivars. Contrary to popular belief, wine regions in Spain are not balmy and endlessly sunny. In fact most top growing regions in Spain best resemble Washington State. Dry desert conditions, scorching day time temperatures with huge temperature swings at night all wrapped up in a short growing season and frosty winters.
As the saying goes: “Nueve meses de invierno tres meses de infierno” (Nine months of Winter three months of Hell). Yep..Sounds like Eastern Washington.