Cortijo los Aguilares Tinto

Blind tastings are always interesting because they enable us to appreciate a wine's honest to goodness nature, its totally genuine character, with no preconceptions. It is always surprising to discover its identity and this is exactly what happened with the entry-level wine from Cortijo Los Aguilares: its complexity left us feeling totally amazed on learning that this was a Young Red, without any barrel-ageing.

Cortijo Los Aguilares Tinto is a wine which is bright in appearance, lively and glyceric, that exhibits a fresh, clean nose: aromas of black fruit, aromas of strawberries when the glass is held still, spicy notes – and yet it has had no contact with wood! It is also a wine that gains complexity in the glass: balsamic hints, sweet notes, even a touch of Sauternes, of pear, rhubarb and orange blossom; it has a creamy nose, on a background of undergrowth, with a definite hint of rusticity.

Cortijo Los Aguilares Tinto has a pleasant entry and its palate is in keeping with the nose. It offers a considerable amount of body, it is fresh, flavoursome, rounded, well-structured and balanced, and comes with an attractive aftertaste: an oily feel that we would normally associate with a Crianza, but we are well aware there has definitely been no ageing. This is a very decent wine, clean, fine and delicious.