2015 Booker Tempranillo

Another wine that’s overflowing with meaty, butcher shop, and cured meat aromas and flavors is the 2015 Tempranillo. Made from 100% Tempranillo and raised all in barrel, it offers lots smoked black fruits, charcoal, spice and vanilla bean aromatics, full-bodied richness, building tannin and a big, big finish. I continue to consider this cuvée one of the best examples of Tempranillo coming out of the US today. Give it a hand full of years and enjoy over the following decade. One of the leaders of the Paso wine scene is undoubtedly Eric Jensen’s Booker Vineyard (I’ve affectionately called this group the motley crew before). Jensen and his wife Lisa purchased these 72 acres in 2001, with their wines released in 2005. Since then, the wines have evolved from uber rich and forward, to today where they’re more polished, complete and structured. Looking at his 2015s, which Jensen compared to his 2010 and 2013s, they show the more elegant style of the vintage, yet pack plenty of fruit and texture. His 2016s are certainly bigger wines, yet have plenty of tannin and a focused style on the palate which I suspect will benefit from short term cellaring. In addition to his Rhône variety releases and blends, it’s worth pointing out the quality coming from his Cabernet Sauvignons as well. These are seriously good wines!