2006  Bodegas Martin Codax Ergo Tempranillo
by Haydn Adams | Beyond Napa Valley Blog
April 16th, 2009

Appalachian: Rioja, Spain
100% Tempranillo
Haydn gives it: 91pts

Ahh, the little Tempranillo. It seems to be overshadowed by most of the other grapes. So much so that I have dubbed the grape “Cabernets younger sister” (or brother, whichever you prefer). It matures in about 3-4 years, shows a deep berry flavor and can contain some smokey aspects depending upon the winemaker.

It is one of my favorite wines to drink simply due to the fact that it is 1) generally moderately priced and 2) I don’t have to keep it in the cellar for a decade to appreciate it. In all honesty, do we ever really keep wine to its full maturity? At least I don’t all the time (though I do have some 2000s that are getting near uncorking time).

So naturally when I saw this Tempranillo, my initial reaction was to wait. However, I knew the winery made one of my favorite abariños and curiosity killed the wine bottle (what did you think I was going to say?). Plus, I had a great friend over for dinner and I wanted to expand her palate a bit, so I went for the Martin Codax.

The wine was goregous. It showed boysenberry, blackberry, and a hint of wood on the nose. This wine seemed to be more complex than half of the Napa Cabs out there.

The mid-palate showed the same characteristics, with a more intense strength of a bit of smoke and blackberry. Yet, the tannins were mild, even without the aid of a decanter (which I probably would have used had I had access to one). I did do some intense swirling to get the aromas flowing. Multiple layers of fruit were there, with the blackberry aided by a little boysenberry and even a little bit of raspberry.

And the true measure of a well-made wine was the finish. A subtle dissapearance of taste at the end, as if the curtain kept slowly closing on the wine every time you took a drink. A great indication of this is in the fact that the wine was drank fairly slowly in order to savor such a delicious finish.

I don’t know the price, as it did come in my wine club shipment, but I’d venture to say $15-$20. If you are new to Spanish wines, Sabor of Spain does a magnificent job of providing an educational oppurtunity to learn and taste Spanish wines and Spanish varietals. They are located in San Rafael on 4th and C, and you can pick up the wine there. Otherwise, I’d recommend you talk with your local wine merchant. If they don’t have it, they probably can order it.

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Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com