<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg" target="_blank" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg" id="blogsy-1365289951684.937" class="alignleft" alt="Don Simón Tempranillo: Spanish wine" width="220" height="205"></a></div>

<p style="text-align: justify;">So I got the wine and I&#39;m drinking it now!  I&#39;m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars.  In my <a href="http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods/" target="_self" title="Don Simón Spanish Wine touches down in Whole Foods">previous post</a> on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria.  After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains.  The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way.  I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions.  This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it&#39;s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.</p>

<!--more--><p style="text-align: justify;">There are there varietals in the line on offer, a Shiraz/Syrah, a Chardonnay, and the Tempranillo. According to the back labels, these are from the category Vino de la Tierra, a category below Appellation level, but which does offer some geographic origin guarantees.  in this case the origin is the largest wine region in the world, the huge central Spanish plain of La Mancha.  There is a lot of very bad and ordinary wine produced in this vast region, and huge wine surpluses annually, but there is also a lot of very good wine produced, both in a number of appellations and in the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla category.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">This Tempranillo has very little distinct varietal character.  It is fairly clean in the nose, some dusty cherry fruit, a little green pepper, which can be typical of the La Mancha heat.  The mouth is tart, light but sweet cherry fruit. A very soft mouth and very short.  The acid and mouth feels totally out of balance.  It&#39;s most drinkable in the first minutes but starts to fall part rapidly.  </p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Technology has meant that even in this incredibly hot, dry climate, very cheap, drinkable wines are being made and shipped to all parts of Spain and now the world, including my local Whole Foods!  I was shocked on numerous trips to Basque Country to find that the wine served with the menu del día, or lunch menu, was no longer a basic Rioja, but was a generic La Mancha wine.  Now they have followed me to Miami!  </p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">These wines are the least interesting part of the Spanish wine story.  La Mancha remains a huge problem....so much supply, so little demand... and the problem will have to be addressed. The really interesting wines from the area are wonderful, but they are just a small minority.  </p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, we don&#39;t need the generic stuff to degrade either the image of La Mancha or of Spanish wine, especially outside of Spain. </p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"> I think it&#39;s great that Whole Foods offers more good value wines but maybe they should stick to around the 10$ price point?  What do you think?  </p>

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