Red Diamond Temperamental

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

This new red blend from Washington brings a New World twist to Spanish grapes.

The main body of the wine is the Spanish noble grape tempranillo (85 percent), with a combination of cabernet sauvignon (9 percent) and carignan (6 percent). Because the bottle is non-vintage, the fruit was probably sourced over several growing seasons.

Let’s call it a tempranillo starter wine, because this is not your typical robust and dry Spanish blend. It’s made in a fruit-forward style more familiar to American palates with a semi-sweet body and a very smooth finish that displays just a hint of barrel-aging.

Sherry: “Jammy raspberry and strawberry flavor with a hint of prune on the finish.” 3-1/2 stars

Chris: “Aromas of raisin and cocoa with strawberry and blackberry flavors.” 3 stars

Available locally for between $8 and $11.

Coming next week: Lindeman’s Bin 70 Chardonnay-Riesling