2002 Traslanzas Tempranillo Cigale
Grape variety: Tempranillo
Region: Cigale, Spain
Food pairing: Rosemary-skewered lamb chops
This find is the collaboration of not one but two visionary women in wine. Winemaker Ana Martin paid her dues learning to make great wines in the Ribera del Duero and her home appellation of Txakoli de Bizkaia during the 1980's -90's. But in 1998, while interning at a local cooperative, Ana met Maria Pinacho, whose family owns a vineyard in the Cigales appellation, just west of the Ribera del Duero.Together they realized just how much potential her 60+ year old Tinto del Pais (a thicker-skinned clone of Tempranillo) vines had. They formed a partnership, and Traslanzas, one of the first high-quality red wines to be produced in Cigales, immediately became a "cult wine" in Spain. With notes of blackberries, licorice, apple skin, vanilla and a little smokiness, this wine shows amazingly vibrant fruit for a seven-year-old wine. Few know about it in the U.S. now, but mark my words...that won't be the case for long.
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