2004 Twisted Oak Tempranillo - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County (12/13/2006) Gorgeous color on this wine rich and deep burgundy. The nose is dense and layered in the glass w/smoky chocolate, cherry jumping out. With time this opens up to raspberry notes and some toasted oak. I wonder how this will develop. High acidity with some firm but soft tannins, while on the palate the acid shows like a sour cherry that give way to oak, bright acidity and raspberry notes. Not overly complex at this point. Still a young wine with some life left before it fully develops. It does taste like Tempranillo, and shows some of the classic flavors and textures of Spain. On the other hand to me it seems too pure in someways to not have come from California, I would love to do a blind tasting with a few wines of Ribera del Duero or even LaMancha to see where this would fall. Great effort and I look forward to trying others. Defiantly pair this wine with some lamb chops.