Latterals: Sangiovese versus Tempranillo

Set Up
Don’t laugh. I get Sangiovese and Tempranillo mixed up in blind tastings. A lot. If I were being really honest? I would throw Grenache in this party as well. And I’ve confused an extracted Pinot Noir for Chianti more than once. But I’m gonna try to tackle this one at a time.

The wines
Bibi Graetz ‘Casamatta’ 2009 (Toscana IGT) 12.5%, $11
Viña Herminia 2009 (Rioja) 14%, $12

The Casamatta has medium intensity of bright dark fruits and some florals. The palate was dry with alcohol in check and a medium+ acid with medium+ rustic tannins. The flavors were dark fruits, medium ripeness, and a sour savory tomato character.

This wine is 100% Sangiovese from young vineyards in different zones around Tuscany (including Sieci, Siena and Maremma) and is fermented (including MLF) in steel tanks before being transferred to barriques where it remains until bottling (I haven’t found an indication of how long that is).

Viña Herminia was much more muted on the nose with a real dry earthiness along with dark fruits. And again, the palate was more earthy and plumy than the Sangiovese. Tannins were higher here but were finer and sour notes carrier through the medium+ finish.

I had more trouble finding information on this wine, despite the winery’s slick website. It seems like there could be some Garnacha in this wine (up to 15%), but it could also be 100% Tempranillo. The winery also employs both American and French oak, but I don’t have the specifics on this wine.

Observations
Both wines displayed plums and a spiciness, but the Tempranillo was more muted and earthy. Both had a similar medium intensity of ruby color, but the Tempranillo was slightly more concentrated. Both were bone dry on the palate with similar medium+ acidity.

There were differences in their aromatic profile was stronger as flavor profiles: more savory/sour for the Sangiovese and more dried/earthy for the Tempranillo.

Both had almost the same amount of tannins, but the nature of those tannins were different: I felt the Sangiovese tannins were much more rustic over the finer (but still rather burly compared to say, a Pinot Noir) tannins of the Sangiovese.

Overall, I’m sad to report that I’m not sure this tasting help cement anything about these two varietals to me. I wonder if it’s a price point issue. Maybe I won’t be so cheap next time...