I’ll confess that I didn’t know much about Borsao going into this, but I’m always up for a garnacha.  After several exposures to delicious blends with the beautiful raspberry sweetness  laced with a touch of spice, garnacha is something that I have high expectations when trying.  This blend is 25% tempranillo, something Spain is famous for, and should add a firmness and cherry flavor to the blend.   As I’ve had a soft spot for Spanish wines ever since discovering the amazingness that could be Priorat’s, I always look forward to garnacha.

Priorats, while delicious, are expensive [sometimes upwards of $40 a bottle due to the low yield of the vines], and this bottle comes in at $6.95, so how does it fair?

Sight:   Light,  pink edge, not particularly deep in color, but a beautiful rich magenta.

Smell:  This wine has a very sweet edge to the nose, with a light raspberry danish in the background to bright popping cherries.  There is a slightly underripe blackberry note as well.

Sip:  This wine has a slightly above medium mouth feel, but the tannins remain light as the majority of the wine is Garnacha.  The wine reverses direction from the nose as the tempranillo adds a bitter cherry and raisin character to the raspberry background.  The wine could possibly have used another year in oak, or more control over the garnacha yield, but overall it’s very palatable as a daily drinker with food. [ABV: 14%]

Savor: The wine feels slightly one note, and leaves a berry flavor on the palate.  Tannins build to a moderate level during the aftertaste.

Price: $6.95

Borja, Spain

D.O. Campo de Borja

[I apologize about the photography, bear with me while I figure out how to improve that.]