Buenos Aires – I continued to be impressed by the fresh fruit, single varietal wines of Rodas’ Colección 12. A couple of friends dropped by for a glass of wine the other night and we popped open a bottle of the Tempranillo 2004 (#5 in the collection). Once again pretty much right on with the listing of flavors to be found – ciruela, mora, mermelada, or plum, blackberry, and marmalade. Certainly the plum and berry were evident, I’m guessing the marmalade is a reference more to the sweetness of the fruit with just a slight bitter finish. There was a slight rustic tinge to the wine, which is pretty typical of the varietal, and this could easily be mistaken for an unaged, unoaked Rioja. For just over 6 pesos a bottle, these wines are a true bargain, and the colección has become my selection of “house wines.”