They say not to judge a book by it’s cover, but Evodia’s wine label is certainly one to hang onto! It’s unequivocally beautiful.
If you tend to gravitate towards one of the big three reds (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir) I would recommend this wine as the one you branch out with.
This Garnacha from the village of Atea, Spain, is hands-down my favorite Garnacha under $10, and without effort rivals those in higher price ranges. Spicy red & dark berry flavors mixed with cracked pepper gives this wine an intensely wonderful aroma (raspberry, blackberry & wild cherry). Appropriately so, “Evodia” is the Greek word for “aroma”.
The Grenache grape, made most popular by the Rhone wine region of Fance, is believed to have originated in Spain, where it is referred to as Garnacha. Typically, the grape is used to fill-out other red blends, such as Syrah, but Evodia is a 100% varietal, grown on “old vines”.
“Old Vines” is a term used to describe grape-producing vines ranging from 25-40+ years old, and are considered to produce a higher quality of fruit than younger vines.
The following was taken from the Review Journal:
Vineyard: 100% old vine Garnacha comes from high altitude vineyards (2400-3000ft) in the villiage of Atea, Spai
In the glass: Evodia is a deep crimson-red color with purplish streaks, a purple to pink rim with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose: The wine is full of pure extracted crushed peppery black fruit, ripe blueberries, boysenberry sauce and spicy vanilla extract from oak, then notes of new American oak by itself, soft jammy berry components and a touch of smoke, licorice root and earthy minerals underlying.
On the palate: Evodia is big and spicy, then juicy in the mouth with nicely complex, concentrated chewy blackberry fruit, licorice root, crushed brambleberries, pepper-laced minerals, and then soft, almost chewy, tannins going into a superbly balanced midpalate that is smooth around the mouth, although retains a sense of freshness from the relatively forward acidity. The deep fruity finish has a nice mouth-feel that lasts for 20-plus seconds, and shows why wines made from Old Vines are profound to taste, from a concentration point of view.
Odds and ends: Although garnacha is a grape varietal that is native to the Rhone Valley in France where it is called grenache, it has been in Spain for centuries. In many cases, the vines from which the fruit for this wine was made are as much as 100 years old. In addition, the dry-farmed vineyards are high up in the foothills of this mountainous region of Spain in pure slate soil. The wine’s name is the Greek word for “aroma” and there’s plenty of that in this hit-in-the-making for less than $10. Drink it now through 2011, and try it with a grilled piece of flank steak, sliced and medium-rare served with salsa
What are you waiting for! Head out this week and pickup a bottle to try it out for yourself. I assure you won’t be disappointed.
