Tasting Spanish Wines in a Unique Restaurant Venue

Eno Restaurant and Wine Bar is a wine and cheese and chocolate tasting restaurant that is based in about half-a-dozen locations across North America. The concept is fairly unique: you build your own pairings of wine, cheese and/or chocolate tastings from a wide assortment. In the case of wines, some 300 to 500 labels are said to be available at different times.

For these tastings, we focused on the wines of Spain, and tasted from Enos on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago IL.

Joan d'Anguera Planella Montsant Red Wine

By way of background: Joan d'Anguera Planella is a blend predominantly made of mazuelo - the Spanish name for carignan. The 2007 vintage hails from Montsant, Spain.

In the glass: It shows as deep, dark burgundy.

On the nose: A full, deep aroma is presented, like you're polishing your leather work boots - very nice!

On the palate: Notes of roots and ripe black stewed fruit on the palate. It shows as sweet in the mid-palate.

And the finish: Light and tannic.

In summary: Solid offering, two stars on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale, with a plus for its compelling aromas.

Josh Raynolds of IWC liked this, awarding 90 points and noted the raspberry and blueberry aromas. He talked of "chewy dark berry flavors" and highlighted spicy and pepper notes. He found the finish solid with "tangy minerality. He did suggest another year in the bottle - indeed, that may have helped my experience too.

Find Planella Montsant WineZap.

Millennium Mencia-Garnacha Red Wine

By way of background: The Millennium Mencia-Garnacha, 2008, from Galicia, Spain, is a unique blend of two grapes not often seen paired this way. It comprises 60% mencia and 40% garnacha tinta, and is finished at 12% alcohol.

In the glass: Mid-deep red in the glass.

On the nose: The aromas are mild, showing fresh red fruit.

On the palate: A full, even, easy red currant is the primary note. Not much depth nor distinction.

And the finish: Fast and acidic.

In summary: Not a memorable experience at all. Not one to be repeated. One star on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale, with a plus for its easiness.

Eguren Tempranillo Red Wine

By way of background: The Eguren Tempranillo, 2007, hails from Castilla, Spain, and is finished in a lighter style.

In the glass: Mid-red.

On the nose: A mild, beaujolais-style aroma.

On the palate: Light pepper notes hit first, then acids help the flavors climb.

And the finish: Fast!

In summary: Two stars on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale.

Find Eguren Tempranillo at WineZap.