After several years of reading Dale's notes on this wine, I finally
located some recently at Sam's in Chicago. Though not the current
release, the '04 still sounded like something to try, even at the
relatively high price of $10.49/bottle. Tonight, with a simple meal of
spaghetti in tomato sauce, we opened a bottle:

2004 Borsao Campo de Borja (65% Garnacha/25% Tempranillo/10% Cabernet
Sauvignon)

nose: cherry, pencil lead, a hint of oak
palate: fruity entry, good acid, dusty tannins

Initially, there was an noticeable but unobtrusive smell of oak to the
wine, but after 30 minutes it was long gone and new notes of minerals
and meat began to make themselves noticed. A fine spaghetti red, this
probably isn't quite the QPR leader at the price we paid for it than
Dale's usual $6-7, but it was still very nice with our dinner.

Thanks, Dale!
Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

In article >, Mark Lipton >
wrote:

> After several years of reading Dale's notes on this wine, I finally
> located some recently at Sam's in Chicago. Though not the current
> release, the '04 still sounded like something to try, even at the
> relatively high price of $10.49/bottle. Tonight, with a simple meal of
> spaghetti in tomato sauce, we opened a bottle:
>
> 2004 Borsao Campo de Borja (65% Garnacha/25% Tempranillo/10% Cabernet
> Sauvignon)
>
> nose: cherry, pencil lead, a hint of oak
> palate: fruity entry, good acid, dusty tannins
>
> Initially, there was an noticeable but unobtrusive smell of oak to the
> wine, but after 30 minutes it was long gone and new notes of minerals
> and meat began to make themselves noticed. A fine spaghetti red, this
> probably isn't quite the QPR leader at the price we paid for it than
> Dale's usual $6-7, but it was still very nice with our dinner.
>
> Thanks, Dale!
> Mark Lipton

Yes, based on Dale's recommendation I hunted this down and found it at
$10.29. At $7 this would be a high QPR wine at $10+ B- for me.

On Dec 3, 9:38�am, Lawrence Leichtman > wrote:
> In article >, Mark Lipton >
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > After several years of reading Dale's notes on this wine, I finally
> > located some recently at Sam's in Chicago. �Though not the current
> > release, the '04 still sounded like something to try, even at the
> > relatively high price of $10.49/bottle. �Tonight, with a simple meal of
> > spaghetti in tomato sauce, we opened a bottle:
>
> > 2004 Borsao Campo de Borja (65% Garnacha/25% Tempranillo/10% Cabernet
> > Sauvignon)
>
> > nose: cherry, pencil lead, a hint of oak
> > palate: fruity entry, good acid, dusty tannins
>
> > Initially, there was an noticeable but unobtrusive smell of oak to the
> > wine, but after 30 minutes it was long gone and new notes of minerals
> > and meat began to make themselves noticed. �A fine spaghetti red, this
> > probably isn't quite the QPR leader at the price we paid for it than
> > Dale's usual $6-7, but it was still very nice with our dinner.
>
> > Thanks, Dale!
> > Mark Lipton
>
> Yes, based on Dale's recommendation I hunted this down and found it at
> $10.29. At $7 this would be a high QPR wine at $10+ B- for me.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -


Scary prices. Widely available around here at $5.87 to $7. Never a
world beater, but at that price a solid buy- great for parties, and
has a label that Betsy knows- fair game for cooking wine.

In article
>,
DaleW > wrote:

> On Dec 3, 9:38?am, Lawrence Leichtman > wrote:
> > In article >, Mark Lipton >
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > After several years of reading Dale's notes on this wine, I finally
> > > located some recently at Sam's in Chicago. ?Though not the current
> > > release, the '04 still sounded like something to try, even at the
> > > relatively high price of $10.49/bottle. ?Tonight, with a simple meal of
> > > spaghetti in tomato sauce, we opened a bottle:
> >
> > > 2004 Borsao Campo de Borja (65% Garnacha/25% Tempranillo/10% Cabernet
> > > Sauvignon)
> >
> > > nose: cherry, pencil lead, a hint of oak
> > > palate: fruity entry, good acid, dusty tannins
> >
> > > Initially, there was an noticeable but unobtrusive smell of oak to the
> > > wine, but after 30 minutes it was long gone and new notes of minerals
> > > and meat began to make themselves noticed. ?A fine spaghetti red, this
> > > probably isn't quite the QPR leader at the price we paid for it than
> > > Dale's usual $6-7, but it was still very nice with our dinner.
> >
> > > Thanks, Dale!
> > > Mark Lipton
> >
> > Yes, based on Dale's recommendation I hunted this down and found it at
> > $10.29. At $7 this would be a high QPR wine at $10+ B- for me.- Hide quoted
> > text -
> >
> > - Show quoted text -
>
>
> Scary prices. Widely available around here at $5.87 to $7. Never a
> world beater, but at that price a solid buy- great for parties, and
> has a label that Betsy knows- fair game for cooking wine.

We don't get the good pricing you do in NYC as there is less price
competition here. I found it online at the price you quoted but with
shipping costs it came out the same so not worth the effort.

> Yes, based on Dale's recommendation I hunted this down and found it at
> $10.29. At $7 this would be a high QPR wine at $10+ B- for me.- Hide
> quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

> Scary prices. Widely available around here at $5.87 to $7. Never a
> world beater, but at that price a solid buy- great for parties, and
> has a label that Betsy knows- fair game for cooking wine.

Unfortunately, they are pretty high in PA as well. $7 for the Vina Borgia
and $9 for the Campo de Borja. I can usually find them for $4.50 and $6.50
in NJ however. I've enjoyed both and have been very pleased with the Tres
Picos as well. The PA price on that is actually fairly reasonable at $13.

Jon

DaleW wrote:

> Scary prices. Widely available around here at $5.87 to $7. Never a
> world beater, but at that price a solid buy- great for parties, and
> has a label that Betsy knows- fair game for cooking wine.

Oops!! This exchange encouraged me to do what I should have done in the
first place: check labels on Cellartracker (great resource, that). What
I actually bought and drank was the Crianza (I noted that on the label
but figured that they all were), which does see more oak than the
regular bottling. That may explain the higher price, as Sam's isn't
usually that different from NYC pricing. I don't know if Larry did the
same, but my wine has the orange label rather than the funky brown one.
Ironically, this means that I've now had the Tres Picos and Crianza,
but not the lower level bottling.

Sorry about the confusion,
Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

In article >,
Mark Lipton > wrote:

> DaleW wrote:
>
> > Scary prices. Widely available around here at $5.87 to $7. Never a
> > world beater, but at that price a solid buy- great for parties, and
> > has a label that Betsy knows- fair game for cooking wine.
>
> Oops!! This exchange encouraged me to do what I should have done in the
> first place: check labels on Cellartracker (great resource, that). What
> I actually bought and drank was the Crianza (I noted that on the label
> but figured that they all were), which does see more oak than the
> regular bottling. That may explain the higher price, as Sam's isn't
> usually that different from NYC pricing. I don't know if Larry did the
> same, but my wine has the orange label rather than the funky brown one.
> Ironically, this means that I've now had the Tres Picos and Crianza,
> but not the lower level bottling.
>
> Sorry about the confusion,
> Mark Lipton

As you clarified here, I also had the orange label so I guess we are now
talking about apples and oranges

On Dec 3, 1:34�pm, Lawrence Leichtman > wrote:
> In article >,
> �Mark Lipton > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > DaleW wrote:
>
> > > Scary prices. Widely available around here at $5.87 to $7. Never a
> > > world beater, but at that price a solid buy- great for parties, and
> > > has a label that Betsy knows- fair game for cooking wine.
>
> > Oops!! This exchange encouraged me to do what I should have done in the
> > first place: check labels on Cellartracker (great resource, that). �What
> > I actually bought and drank was the Crianza (I noted that on the label
> > but figured that they all were), which does see more oak than the
> > regular bottling. �That may explain the higher price, as Sam's isn't
> > usually that different from NYC pricing. �I don't know if Larry did the
> > same, but my wine has the orange label rather than the funky brown one.
> > �Ironically, this means that I've now had the Tres Picos and Crianza,
> > but not the lower level bottling.
>
> > Sorry about the confusion,
> > Mark Lipton
>
> As you clarified here, I also had the orange label so I guess we are now
> talking about apples and oranges- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

This shows the label I'm referring to:
http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=240639

I think Borsao's nomenclature is quite confusing. The one I like as a
value is generally referred to as just "Borsao" (or Borsao Tinto), and
is a Grenache/Tempranillo blend. Pretty sure this is US only.

They also have:
Borsao Primicia (identical label except the work Primicia is added)
which is all Grenache, and I think carbonic maceration. Haven't seen
this is US in a while. $5
The Borsao Joven (bright orange label) $5, Crianza (more subdued
orange label)$8, and Reserva $9 all have Grenache, Tempranillo, and
Cab Sauvignon in varying amounts, and see some oak aging.
There's the Vina Borgia (black label)$6, unsure re cepage.
Tres Picos is all Grenache, with oak. $12

DaleW > wrote in
:

>
> They also have:
> Borsao Primicia (identical label except the work Primicia is added)
> which is all Grenache, and I think carbonic maceration. Haven't seen
> this is US in a while. $5
> The Borsao Joven (bright orange label) $5, Crianza (more subdued
> orange label)$8, and Reserva $9 all have Grenache, Tempranillo, and
> Cab Sauvignon in varying amounts, and see some oak aging.
> There's the Vina Borgia (black label)$6, unsure re cepage.
> Tres Picos is all Grenache, with oak. $12
>

Tres Picos is not supposed to be oaked. I know that it tastes like it, but
the winery does not declare it (or, at least, they did not the last time I
looked for it).

In Spain they also sell a Tres Picos Tempranillo, but I do not like it as
much as I like the Tres Picos Grenache.

Believe it or not, they sell a wine called "Borsao Garnacha Mítica" that
sells in a national chains of supermarkets called "Mercadona", for the
amount of 1,30 euros. That is about $2. And is a nice wine.

Best,

S.