Coral Mustang Wines

Winemaker Penelope Coral Gadd-Coster and her husband Frank are proprietors of this new artisanal label. They specialize in Spanish varietals, producing Tempranillo exclusively for now. In Spain, Tempranillo plays a starring role not only in blue chip Rioja and Ribera del Duero but is found in many vineyards throughout the country. Penelope worked with notable winemaker André Tchelistcheff. She and her husband currently produce this very polished Rioja Reserva style along with a deeply fruited and bone dry rosé. The source for both Coral Mustang wines is Charlie and Patti Youngclaus’ Vista Creek Vineyards.

Bright, rich ruby-purple and viscous with well-marked legs, this seductive wine has notes of ripe mulberry, dark cherry, mocha, vanilla and earth on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, supple, and juicy, the wine is beautifully balanced and elegant, much in line with its role model, Rioja. Sweet oak tannins kick in on the long finish. While the fruit is ripe and very much New World in style, I’d be hard pressed to guess this as a Paso Robles wine in a blind tasting. This would be delicious with grilled lamb, warm duck confit with Yukon gold potatoes, pork rillettes, or Manchego cheese.

Reviewed August 29, 2007 by Catherine Fallis.