Volver Tempranillo 2005, La Mancha, Spain $US14: Monolithic cherry fruits. High-alcohol, overtly oaky and syrupy. Acidity came into focus on day 3, but with the lumber and alcohol, it couldn’t quite pull itself together. Not undelicous, but food unfriendly. Personally - I’d reach for the amazing Prima (offering more complexity and character) over the Volver any day.

Sella Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Reserva 2005 $US9: Who turned on the Funk Machine? Barnyard leaping from the class, with mineral oil and red cherries. Violets and dried herbs with air time. Transparent, Pinot-like color. Round palate with medium-weight - excellent acid freshness and balance. If you run with the funkand have some red-sauce and/or game, this is your wine.

~$15US, 95% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha, Toro, Spain

I’ve been haunted by the Flor de Pingus I had a few months ago with it’s rich fruit and earthy, primordial robustness. I can’t imagine what the actual Pingus is like - but in any case, I’ve been looking for another Tempranillo that can deliver even a bit of that flavor profile at an everyday price. The Prima does a great job of hitting a few of key flavor buttons in the under $20US range.

Super-dark inky purple. Beautiful nose of plums and blackberries, with an wonderful tobacco and leather underlaying. The oak is poking out a little, but does not intrude - it ads a slight vanilla edge. Volumnous and big on the palate, with blackberries and maduro tobacco. A touch of heat from the 14.5%ABV. Firm tannins. Concentrated and tight still - it needed some time to unwind.

Day 2: A luxurious evolution to a much more velvety and integrated wine. This is not going to win awards for elegance, but there is good scale and complexity, with 2nd and 3rd tier flavors (some espresso, violet and lavender aspects). The oak still there, still not overpowering the fruit, but there. 4-6 more years would probably make this wine rock even more.

This is a genuine and accessible wine - highly recommended and easy to love.

~$50US, 100% Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero, Spain

This is the 2nd wine of the cult-garagiste-super-hyped Dominio de Pingus, in Ribera del Duero. Peter Sisseck brings a Bordelais heritage and strict selection with obnoxiously low yields to the Tempranillo grape. I just saw the 05’s come out, so I was temped to try this bottle. I popped and decanted about an hour before tasting.

It just smelled big - an overscaled bowl of cherries and strawberries like a massively rich California Pinot Noir. There was something primal about the nose - not earthy, but of-the-earth. Given the power of the aroma, I was expecting the palate to be jammy-jam extracted, but it shocked me with a very acidic and bright punch to the mouth. Young and vibrant. It didn’t give much in the midpalate and the tannins were grip-tight, but the finish just wouldn’t quit. One of the most lingering wines I’ve had in awhile, ripe with red cherries and dusty leather.

This is obviously a wine built for the long haul - 5 hours in the decanter, and still tight. A new-world nose, with an old world palate - fascinating, but just not in a pleasurable place right now. Like getting a masterful massage when you have a really bad sunburn - sometimes it’s best to wait a little longer.

Update: I left about 1 glass worth in a half-bottle overnight. Softer overall and more even-keeled. Chewey (almost chunky - depositing strange residue specs on the glass) with leather dominating along with coffee flavors. Acidity still coming through most prominently. Not quite there…but much more interesting than day 1.