Cuban Plonk

Cuban wine?? WTF.  Not what I expected to find there.  Talk about "hot climate" wine.  But you know me, I had to try it.  The one I found was called Soroa from Bodega San Cristobal, NV.  They only get 12% abv, bit of a surprise as I'm sure they have no problem ripening the grapes....mmm, no idea what kind of grapes they use.  The red wine was a shocker - and not a good one.  A mixture of diesel, vinegar and stewed plums.  Almost undrinkable (LOL)!!  Yuk.  Price is right, though, only $2.50 cdn.  The white is, well, I won't go there.  Nuff said.   Best to stick to what they do better:

Or the rum, of course (although there is some real gut rot rum down there as well).

Right, back to reality.  Found  a stray bottle of Condesa de Leganza, Tempranillo Reserva 1995, Finca Los Trenzones in the cellar.  I had picked up a dozen bottles years ago as the price was right - $12.95.  Why so cheap you ask - because it's from a not too highly regarded appelation, La Mancha.  Well what a surprise - this stuff is still good!  Opaque brick with lotsa vanilla and coconut (this spent 24 months in "barrels").  Full bodied, chewy, toasty, still some dark plum fruit.  LONG finish.  Wow.  This blew a Penfolds Bin 28 shiraz (2004) that I had recently away...at a fraction of the price.  Spanish wine can really age well.  

Cheers!!! Looking forward to a good wine weekend coming up, the first of the spring...

(Plaza Mayor, Trinidad, Cuba)