2008 Hito Ribera del Duero

Questions that linger throughout the ages, things like the meaning of life, what came first, the chicken or the egg, and what wine to pair with pork!?!  Well, tonight I am doing my best to try to answer at least that last question, and for me when it comes to pork, a good option is usually something Spanish, perhaps a Tempranillo, or in my case tonight, a lovely Ribera del Duero.

This wine is a lovely example of the Tinto Fino from Spain, and presents a lovely rich, ruby color in the glass.  The nose is somewhat fruity, yet also quite rich in a number of lovely sweet aromas, from some lovely leather and cedar aromas, to baking spice and some rich red fruit.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward with rich berries and tart cherry up front, giving way to some lovely earthy spice notes midpalate.  The finish is just perfect, with well structured tannins supporting the long, dry finish that seems to last much longer than most Spanish reds.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's just a great example of some of the more drinkable, yet complex wines coming from Spain today.  I think I bought this in a bargain variety pack of wines from Wineshopper.com, so although I don't have an official price, it couldn't have been too expensive (just the way I like it eh?).  And of course, back to my question, I am pairing this one with a lovely maple and bourbon glazed pork tenderloin served with a bit of pasta and some fresh steamed asparagus, a wonderful dinner for a February evening.  And this wine just accents the pork so well, with the earthy spice notes offering the perfect counterbalance to the richness of the pork, delicious!

2001 Château Les Gravières Saint Emilion Grand Cru

And for my second official Cellar Saturday, I've decided to open up a wine that has only been in my cellar for less than a month!  Tonight it's a more than decade old Grand Cru Bordeaux, the 2001 Château Les Gravières Saint Emilion.  Now unlike many Bordeaux blends, this one is 100% Merlot, though I'll admit I've always found something about French Merlot that seems to make it better than anywhere else.

The wine itself has a lovely deep purple to ruby coloration.  The nose is a wonderful blend of rich red fruit, leather and smoke.  The taste is remarkably fruit forward, with wonderful ripe plum, red berries and cassis that creates a seeming jolt of sweet fruit flavor that quickly transitions to black pepper and musty oak.  The tannins are quite supple, offering a very smooth, dry finish.  Given it's age, this wine is probably now entering its prime years for drinking, so it's a good thing I opened it!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, mainly since I love classic Bordeaux and this is definitely in that realm.  The nose, the color, the taste, all remind me of the wonderful wines I drank the last time I was in France.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye, haricots vert almondine and some roasted red potatoes.  I bought this wine recently from Wines Till Sold Out for only $30, and I am just amazed sometimes at what wonderful wines they can find for bargain prices that really give you a chance to taste something out of the ordinary!