From two of the best Tempranillo vineyards in California, “Shake Ridge” Amador County and “Stagecoach” Napa Valley. If you allow a wine to be called “serious,” this is one. Dark raspberry, blackberry, plum and red currant fruitiness is currently boxed in by firm tannins and super-savory flavors of oil-cured black olives, high-end cigar wrapper and musky spice. The Orixe Sotel Tempranillo “Tinta Alta” 2019 has all the age-worthiness, power and spirit of any Napa Valley Cab, at any price. To me, anyway.
I was just introduced to the wines of Orixe Sotelo. Where have I been? Husband & wife Gustavo & Jackie Sotelo launched in 2019, made, and operated – soup to nuts. Many wines on the market are interesting but I don’t want to drink them. The Orixe Sotelo wines are both…very intriguing and worthy of drinking to the bottom of the bottle. Even, perhaps, the Tinta Alta with a long decanting.
