2011Crater2011 Crater, Listan Negro, Tacoronte-Acentejo DO, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
This Listan Negro (Mission Grape) comes from the volcanic slopes of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands only about 80 miles off the coast of north Africa in the Atlantic Ocean and was one of first critically acclaimed wines from this remote region. Now we have many great wines from the Canaries, especially sought after is Suertes del Marques and Fronton de Oro, these are intriguing and unique wines and this Crater 2011 is deeply flavored with exotic spices that will appeal to those with a sense of adventure. The nose is full of savory essences, mineral and loamy earth before revealing red berry, dried currants and plum sauce with a palate that is medium in weight with wonderful textural mouth feel and life. There is a core of blueberry, cherry and poached red peach along with red pepper/cayenne, flinty stones, a touch of game, salted black licorice and rustic chalk dust and cedary notes. The tannins are firm, the acidity is juicy in this interesting red which turns more refined and poised with longer in the glass, but this is a wine made for food and can be friendly with a wide range of cuisine from braised goat shoulder to spicy seafood stew, I really think it shines with kabob and Turkish or Middle Eastern fare, best from 2015 to 2018.
($40 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive

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