“Definitely more old world in style than new,
and much to my liking in that regard.”

Click image to enlarge.

It’s time once again to remind readers that you don’t need to be a Costco member to buy wine legally at any Michigan Costco. I mention this, because I’ve been consistently finding worthwhile, value-priced wines at our friendly neighborhood Costco, which is where I found this fine Spanish red.

This is my first experience tasting anything from Bodegas Casado Morales. It took a little bit of searching for me to find anything about this producer online. The winery’s website doesn’t tell me much more than that it has been family-owned and operated by three generations, since 1925, and the average age of the vines is 40 years old. The importer’s website tells even less, and makes no mention of this particular selection at all. I found a little more about Casado Morales from the Ruta del Vino Rioja Alavesa site, but nothing in the kind of depth or detail that many other producers’ online presence offers.

In the end, I can only let the wine tell its own story, and it’s a very good one indeed.

2018 Bodegas Casado Morales Garnacha Rioja Alavesa “Eme,” 13.5% alc., $14.99: This makes a good initial impression, exuding rich red berries and cherries on the nose, and then releasing a little toasty oak with some swirlatude. Big and rich in the mouth, but not too ripe, and somewhat earthy, with flavors of black currant, black cherry and old wood. Definitely more old world in style than new, and much to my liking in that regard. The oak does show some on the nose, and very pleasantly so for this taster, but in the mouth, it’s mostly sequestered in the wings.

I like this. It’s a big, chewy wine that you can drink and enjoy now, but it’s sure to develop significant secondary characteristics with five, ten or even more years in the cellar. Despite being made mostly (or entirely) from Garnacha (Grenache), it has a certain claret-like character, perhaps owing to the influx of Bordeaux vignerons from around 1860-1880, fleeing the phylloxera plague that destroyed their own vineyards. Bringing their own techniques with them, these winemakers introduced a style of dry reds that has held consistent for well over a century.

Best of all, it’s a steal at this price. As of a few days ago, there’s a good supply of this at the Madison Heights Costco, along with plenty of the 2019 Domaine Lafage ‘Narassa’ that I reported on earlier this week. I’ve already brought home more of each of these, which is about as good a recommendation as I can make. Find this wine

Imported by Votto Vines Importing, Hamden, Ct.

Reporting from Day-twah,
Bastardo

Home | Tasting Notes