Tag Archives: Spain

July 2, 2012 · 6:47 pm

Man of La Mancha… couldn’t resist (Valdepenas, Spain)

Madrid is everything that a capital city should be; it’s big, busy, historic, cultural, classy and teaming with life. In late June it is also scorchingly hot. It would have been at least 38 degrees in the shade, almost 10 degrees higher than only two hours north. On the Friday night of the weekend I was invited to have dinner with Didier Belondrade, his partner and a friend, where I enjoyed one of the finest meals of my trip and made me miss Melbourne a lot. Madrid is certainly a party town, and I didn’t get much sleep so on the Sunday evening when I got to Valdepenas I flicked on the Italy England Euro 2012 match and fell asleep after only ten minutes. Valdepenas is town that the DO takes its name from, and is the part of the La Mancha DO, the largest producing wine region in the world. Many in the Spanish wine industry look down on La Mancha as a low-quality commercial area, blaming it for the ills of the wine glut. There is however much quality to be found here providing that the price is right, and it is thanks to this region that so many consumers are drinking Spanish wine around the world. Valdapenas is the premium area of the region, and I wanted to find out what the best this wide, dry and healthy part of Spain had to offer.
Traditional fermentation vats in Valdepenas

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July 2, 2012 · 5:26 pm

Bodegas Hidalgo – 2/07/2012

Amontillado solera (120 years old, 43 year old wine)
Nice toasty caramel smoky toasty notes. Fresh but salty, you taste the difference in the wine here, fresh but quite complex and very rancio oxidative, good structure through the middle of the palate, nice clean finish with complex texture of nuts and lees notes.

Oloroso solera (roughly the same as above)
Slightly more tar and molasses, slightly more vanilla. Much deeper toastier texture and slightly more noticeable alcohol. Depth and concentration, full flavour, nice focus and drive.

Palo Cortado (40-60 years old)
Showing some floral elements somehow, strong vanilla essence character. Amazingly fresh but expressive oxidative rancio notes, warming balanced and rich, smoky toasty intensity. Very mature.

Pastrajanna Manzanilla solera 12 years old
Green parsley basil notes, maybe some garlic in there, with that classic salty element. Tastes like prosciutto, amazing.

La Gitana herself

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July 2, 2012 · 5:25 pm

Sanchez Romate – 2/07/2012

Fino solera
Wonderfully fresh, clean nose with solid rancio character. Tight clean and balanced. Well protected but nice oxidative complexity. Second solera rounder richer and more oxidative. Smoother somehow.

Amontillado solera
Wonderfully creamy burnt caramel, complex rancio oxidative notes, some nutty characters, vanilla beans. Toasty creamy texture but very fresh and dry, wonderfully complex characters.

Oloroso Sacristia solera
More oxidative wood notes, very dark caramel and chocolate notes. Deeper denser, very late nutty oxidative complexity, very long finish, creamy texture. Opulent rich and slightly sweet.

Pedro Ximenez solera
Extremely raisiny, so dense and viscous, quite warm, toasty and rich, very chocolatey. Somewhat subdued aromatically, slightly closed. Thick and gloopy. So heavy and full, more solid than liquid. Christmas in a glass.

Oloroso Viejismo (VORS, very old and rare sherry, minimum 30 years)
Wonderfully rich and deep aromas, extremely complex, integrated oak and toast aromas. Intense flavours, wonderfully bright, crunchy complex, less creamy characters, powerful expression, amazing companion to food, so fresh yet so complex.

Romate Very Old Oloroso

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June 29, 2012 · 7:06 pm

Toro Albala – 29/06/2012

Fino Electrico solera
Heady fresh aromas, crisp and vibrant, quite creamy, some green and yellow fruits. Vibrant creamy fruits, broad generous acids, very intense flavours. Quite bold and mature for fino, so young in fruit character, but very intense on the palate with good warmth from the alcohol. Simply stunning.

Amontillado Soledad solera
Amazingly creamy rich caramel nose, buttery, toasty, almonds, nutmeg, vanilla, caramelised bananas. Consistent with the nose but very intense and dry. Warm bold, toasty nutty texture. Very bright sweet profile without sweetness. Incredibly complex and long, lingers for at least five minutes.

Amontillado 100+ years old
Much more subtle and closed, less of the creamy sweet notes on the nose. More subtle on the palate as well, contained and still amazingly fresh. Used to blend in with the vintage PX wine. Somehow more intense and focused, knocked out all of the loose ends and is just concentrated and focused.

1897 PX Viejisimo
Extremely intense closed nose, no vibrancy at all. Almost literally treacle, insanely concentrated and complex, but still retaining acids. Not hot at all, incredibly dark and thick, reducing for 100+ years, wonderfully balanced raisin chocolate elements, some very dark caramel and molasses elements. Very heady stuff…

Toro Albala Fino from the solera

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June 29, 2012 · 7:01 pm

La Purisima – 28/06/2012

Estio Rosado 2011 (monastrell, syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon)
Classic fruit driven rose nose, ripe cherries and strawberries, slightly creamy and yet fresh. Full generous soft, good level of fruit sweetness, very approachable and friendly. Good consistency and balance. Drop an ice cube in, why not?

Valcorso Barrica Monastrell 2010 (four months in barrel)
Nice deep soft ruby purple colour. Dark floral notes with oodles of cassis, plum, blackberry and some very subtle sweet spices as well. Quite intense very young and exuberant, fresh and pure, well integrated oak, nice clean finish. A little tightness and intensity.

Trapio Monastrell 2008 (14 months in barrel)
Denser earthier forest characters, very rich fertile dark soils, undergrowth, dark berries. Slightly closed and tight, very focused, intense tannins, deep ripe but not sweet fruit, very mature sensibilities and a little sharp at the moment. Needs a little more time in bottle, tough vintage.

Esencia Monastrell Dulce 2011
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. So nice. I need to confirm if I’ve had this before. It has a very floral nose, more than the dry wine, but the fruit profile is virtually the same. On the palate it is full yet soft and the sweetness carreses every part of the mouth. It is far from cloying however, and could go with dark meats with a sweet sauce. Or as part of the sauce…

La Purisima tasting

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June 29, 2012 · 6:47 pm

Primitivo Quiles – 28/06/2012

Blanco “Cana” (white cask) 2011 (100% airen)
Quite traditional slightly yeasty aldehidic nose, very oxidative and yet still fresh. Very dry, fresh pure, very little fruit character. A really good light aperetivo wine to get the appetite going, easy to drink, perfect in the hot summer. Very reflective of the culture and the place.

Rosado Virgen 2011 (100% monastrell)
Again, very oxidative notes, interesting fruit aromas, showing some flor characters somehow. Very different flavour profile, not at all modern. I certainly hope the wines are supposed to taste like this because ordinarily I would suggest they were oxidised.

Tinto Cono 4 (100% monastrell, blend of the previous two vintages, more of the previous than the current)
Fascinating aromas, very wild and old, earthy, olives. Much more fruit in the flavour profile, but not bold and sweet fruit, assured and wild fruit. Soft but very expressive. I’ve never seen wines like this before, very traditional old-world style. There should be more like them.

Roble Monastrell Merlot 2010
Very noticeable difference with the oak, particularly as it is mostly American. That slightly chocolatey sweet overripe banana skin, with dark ripe black fruits. Slightly more modern international style, oak and merlot probably the biggest influence in this, but still retaining that interesting freshness and acidity I can’t really describe.

Crianza Monastrell 2007 (one year in new oak, 80% American, 20% French)
Insane nose, like nothing I’ve ever experienced, not even sure how to describe it. Blows off slightly, but somehow meaty, cheesy, yeasty. Quite well structured and unique on the palate, very drinkable. I think most people may be put off by the aromas.

Raspay Tinto “Brut” 2005
Maderised oxidative, dry sherry style wine. More and more traditional, fascinating. I need to understand how they make the wines and get this character. Maderised, oxidative, flor influence, but fresh and drinkable. Very interesting with food.

Fondillon 1948 solera
Very complex subtle rancio toasty caramel notes, actually very fresh and vibrant, but different fruit profile. Has the impression of sweetness at first, but then the really complex characters start to show through, tea. Need to have much more experience to pick the notes of this type of wine. So unique and so interesting.
Post-tasting at Primitivo Quiles

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June 29, 2012 · 5:57 pm

Enrique Mendoza – 27/06/2012

Merseguera 2010
Fruit-driven, fresh and bold. Reminiscent of riesling, good citrus lime and minerality. Good acids, interesting texture and structure.

La Tremenda Monastrell 2009
Dark forest fruits and wooded groves, open and wild yet bright and fresh. Soft but full-flavoured, quite dese and expressive, on the warm side with some clear ripe red fruit characters, good purity and drive with some nice lingering fresh fruits and bright tannins.

Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Reserva 2008
Dark purple fruit nose, slightly smoky tar and aniseed. Balanced fresh intense fruit, nic structure and floral elements. Unique yes, but unique to Alicante? I don’t know the region well enough to say.

Moscatel 2010 Pasa
Lovely spicy pot-pourri nose, honey, molasses. Wonderfully rich and sweet, very viscous and creamy, warming and caressing, nostalgic. Complex and yet vibrant and fresh. Traditional style that is totally out of fashion but wonderfully delicious.

Enrique Mendoza box

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June 27, 2012 · 6:13 pm

Navarro Lopez – 25/06/2012

Don Aurelio Verdejo Macabeo 2011
Fresh vibrant apples green fruits, very different aromatics to those of Rueda, juicy fruits. Lovely and fresh, light, fruit driven, clean and pure, simple uncomplicated balanced. A touch of R/S to lift the fruit flavours and make things that much easier to drunk several bottles in this heat.

Para Celsus Blanco 2011 (airen and viognier)
Viognier having quite an impact aromatically, quite perfumed floral notes, hints of dried apricots, very tight and lean freshness and fruit. Pure clean light and slightly nutty on the back from some old oak, very light fruit characters on the palate, very soft notes of complexity.

Don Aurelio Rosado Tempranillo 2011
At first quite jubey fruit sweet nose, but then showing some minerality and some slight savoury compounds. Nice fresh off-dry style, round broad soft, good level of R/S to fruiten the wine, good acids to ad to the vibrancy and aperitivo style. Purity of red fruits and some creaminess as well.

Don Aurelio Tempranillo Seleccion 2011 (no oak)
Very soft bright, mellow nose of plums and blueberries. Soft juicy tannins and fruit, freshness from acidity but very easy uncomplicated approachable wine that isn’t sweet, hot, or aggressive at all.

Tierracalar Tempranillo 2011 (Tierra de Castilla) – corked
Quite reductive at the moment, fruit somewhat subdued, interesting floral notes, slightly savoury red and black fruits. Oak making an impact even though it is only blended into non-oaked material.

Don Aurelio Crianza 2009
Nice soft nose, very light with fruit and oak. Full bright red fruits, lot’s of cherry and fresh raspberry blackberry notes, oak barely influencing, just good and approachable.

Premium 1904 2010 (tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon)
Very closed aromatically, needs some more time in bottle, dense dark fruits and subduing oak. Darker fuller more tannic and slightly sweet from oak, very serious and structured but still with some acidity freshness to make the wine approachable now with food. Five years ageing potential.

Vina Trebolar 2009 (tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon and syrah)
Darker more international wine with these varieties, same sweet dark fruits and new oak. Very soft mellow and full with some sweet oak characters, juicy mellow approachable structure, very appealing to a lot of people. Drink now, it’s very good.

Tierracalar Tempranillo 2011 (Tierra de Castilla)
Lovely bright dark fruit, juicy soft slightly sweet, much cleaner.

Navarro Lopez tasting

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June 27, 2012 · 5:52 pm

Miguel Calatayud – 25/06/2012

Vegaval Plata Varietal Airen 2011
Nice fresh fruit salad aromas, slightly creamy and leesy, green fruits, kiwi. Very fruit-driven approachable balanced, clean and pure in varietal character. Not at all complex, just very friendly and dry, good with food or on its own.

Vegaval Plata Varietal Verdejo 2011
More textural in the mid-palate, broader and a little flatter, good focus and acidity, not enough fruit? Fresh and friendly, certainly, but not enough character. Texture and acids overwhelming a little bit.

Vegaval Plata Varietal Garnacha Cabernet Sauvignon Rosado 2011
Nice clean fresh quiet fruit aromas. Good balance and freshness, clean pure fruit, a little R/S on the back, but solid in the mid-palate with some structure and a little tannin texture as well.

Vegaval Plata Varietal Tempranillo 2010 (faulty wine due to storage)
Very intense nose of dark fruits, mushrooms, floral elements, slightly maderised. Very sweet and raisined fruit, has some acid freshness but no fruit freshness, has some molasses elements as well, but this is not pedro ximenez?? Bottle fault, already peaked, storage?

Vegaval Plata Varietal Tempranillo 2010
Similar nose as the previous one, just showing some more complexity of earth notes. Better fruit freshness, nice maturity of fruit, good balance and finesse. Structure and expression, very interesting for the price.

Vegaval Plata Varietal Garnacha 2011
Quite tight, dusty and a little peppery, but very bold on the nose. Too hot, fruit is a little on the cooked side, warmth is noticeable. Certainly drinkable, but not quite balanced. A tad aggressive and simple at the same time.

Vegaval Plata Reserva 2006
Quite rustic dusty earthy slight mustiness. Quite dark and full, textural influence from some oak and tannin density. Broad and full bodied but not too heavy. Still developing, but great dark fruit core with structure and some complexity.
Miguel Calatayud range

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June 23, 2012 · 7:42 pm

The White Stuff (Rueda, Spain)

Not too long ago, there was a region to the south-west of the Ribera del Duero that produced a wine very similar to that of Jerez. Just like their colleagues down south they grew palomino, a very fast ripening high yielding variety that they harvested early with plenty of acidity, and then made wine in the flor based solera system in the sun. That was until the Rioja winery Marques de Riscal came in search of a region to produce white wine, and found some very old indigenous verdejo vines. Seeing the potential for the wines here, they cultivated vines and began to produce crisp fresh white wines that captured the imagination and the palates of Spanish wine drinkers, particularly in warmer weather when full-bodied reds can be a little unforgiving. Soon the region flourished as more producers began producing wine in the region, particularly important people like Telmo Rodriguez, and suddenly Spain had found its new white wine region. The second wave occurred towards the end of the 1990s as some vintners began fermenting and ageing verdejo wines in barrels, and a new style was created.
The soils and stones of Rueda

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