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Red Castillo de Fuente, 2007 ($7.99) and Vina Carosa, NV ($7.99) - I won't wax poetic about these easy-drinking, $8 Spanish wines, but they are attractively fruity, cleanly made, and they certainly won't spoil your Wednesday night hamburger. Señor Sangria, NV ($8.99) - Yes, Charlotte, this is the first time we have ever gotten even remotely excited about a Sangria. I've been following the development of this product since last year when the earnest Rick Martinez came into the store with his girlfriend (now fiancée) and told me he planned to create and market a high quality Sangria using real fruit. What can I say? It won't compete with Chateau Latour or Joseph Phelps Insignia, but this is a delicious, all natural, summer quencher that leaves commercial Sangrias in the dust. Ursa Maior Rioja Tinto, 2007 ($9.99) and Rioja Crianza, 2005 ($11.99) - Tasting both of these value wines is educational. The tinto, which sees little if any wood, is quite pleasant, but it is a simple wine. The crianza saw one year in oak and is a much more complete wine with nuances, even better balance, and a smoothness of texture. Campo Viejo Rioja Crianza, 2005 ($10.99) and Gran Reserva, 2001 ($22.99) - I previously assumed that Campo Viejo, Rioja's largest winery, was more about quantity than quality. Tasting these wines changed my mind; the quality is solid, and the value is fantastic. The Crianza is a star! A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), and Mazuelo, it was aged in American oak for 12 months and is surprisingly rich in fruit. The Gran Reserva, a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, and Mazuelo, was aged in barrel for two years and bottle-aged an additional three years before release. A soft, seductive wine, it offers more complexity and finesse. I also tasted the 2004 Reserva but found it no better than the Crianza! Most visitors to Spain never get to the wine districts. If you appreciate architecture, you must go, for the wineries seem to compete in building the most spectacular facilities. Campo Viejo's beautiful example was built in 2001 and named Bodegas Juan Alcorta for the man who strongly influenced the brand and all of Rioja. Pictures are at www.campoviejo.com. A gateway to Spanish winery architecture can be found at the blog www.manfatta.com/wineblog/2006/10/spanish-wineries-and-cutting-edge.html. Palacio Quemado Senador Crianza 2005 ($13.99) and Reserva 2003 ($19.99) - These Spanish wines are fruit-driven, lush wines from Ribera del Guardino, a young relatively new DO in Extremadura (western central Spain) offering incredible value. It's a region of gently rolling hills with a warm climate and lots of sunlight. The continental climate is influenced by ocean breezes. The Alvear family, one of Spain's most famous sherry producers, planted 250 acres (divided into plots of about ten acres each with its own irrigation system and management program) of Tempranillo, Syrah, Garnacha, Cabernet, and Petit Verdot on an ancient family property. The lovely Crianza is made from 100% old-vine Tempranillo. A long maceration is followed by six months in new American oak. It is a rich, intense wine for steaks, hearty stews, and hard cheese. Attractive, rich fruit as well as suppleness, balance, and a pleasing hint of oak. The Reserva, which comes from the oldest plot, sees longer oak treatment. It is a bit more intense, but more importantly, it is beautifully balanced, the oak and fruit are seamlessly integrated, and the finish is lengthy. Both wines are great values. These wines show more refinement than one expects from such a hot climate.
Javier Asensia Crianza,
Navarra, 2000 ($13.99) - Spain is producing amazing wines at fabulous
prices. Adjacent to and east of Rioja, Navarra is much less developed and is a
region to watch. This blend of 50% Cab. Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and only 20%
Tempranillo is a sort of “SuperNavarra.” Deep in color. this is a big wine
with lovely aromatics. Although it spent a year in oak, the wood barely shows.
It is a superb value with rich, plummy, and ripe flavors. Buil & Giné 'Giné Giné,' Priorat, 2002 ($12.99) - What an interesting wine! The name is odd, but this medium-bodied wine has a delightful refreshing and spicy quality to it. Mouthwateringly good! Baronia del Montsant Flor de Englora, 2006 ($17.99) - Another Spanish winner! Parker: 92! “A candidate for best red wine value in my Spanish tastings. It is a blend of 63% Garnacha, 32% Carinena (Carignan), and the balance Syrah and Merlot aged in stainless steel. Purple-colored, it offers a captivating bouquet of mineral, black cherry, and black raspberry. This is followed by a plush, rich, layered wine with gobs of sweet fruit and no hard edges. It exhibits superb balance and a long finish. It is all about pure pleasure. Drink it now-2013.” Bodegas Lan Rioja
Reserva, 2004 ($18.69) - Another Wine
Spectator "Top 100" wine! "90 points. A silky
texture carries expressive flavors of black plum, violet, licorice and smoke
in this focused, balanced red. Has good intensity yet remains vibrant and
accessible. Drink now through 2012." Very limited.
Las Rocas Garnacha VV, 2005 ($19.99) - Here is the newest
release of this wonderful Spanish wine. The price is a little higher due to the
weak dollar, but this is still an excellent value. Parker 91 “The 2005 Las
Rocas Vinyas Viejas comes from high altitude, low yielding, 100+ year-old
Grenache vines, and is aged in French and American oak. More aromatic than its
sibling, it has a splendid perfume of spice box, lavender, kirsch, and
blueberry. It is also a bit richer and longer in the finish. While it may evolve
for 1-2 years, who could resist it now?” Josh Reynolds, writing for Stephen
Tanzer’s IWC: “Dark ruby. Intensely aromatic nose offers vibrant
raspberry and kirsch complemented by suave mocha, licorice, and spicy minerality.
Sexy cherry-cola and dark berry flavors are impressive for their purity and
impact, offering far more character than one usually finds at this price. The
sweet red fruit finishing flavors show impressive lift and persistence. While
writing this article, I drank a bottle of the 2001, and it was holding on
nicely, showing suave flavors of dried red fruits, cassis, and smoked meat.”
Garnacha is the Spanish name for Grenache, the varietal that forms the
backbone of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and most other southern Rhône reds.
Bodegas Y Vinedos Maurodos “Prima,” Toro (Spain), 2005
($20.99) - This is the new vintage of a wonderful
Spanish wine from the Toro district. This obscure part of Spain produces some superb wines. Prima is a
big, highly extracted wine that is soft, spicy, and very appealing. It is made from 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo) and
was aged 11 months in French and American oak. Both Robert Parker and
Stephen Tanzer rated this wine 90 points. Tanzer: “Spicy cherry and
dark chocolate aromas are underscored by minerals and orange zest. Sweet
raspberry and kirsch flavors are impressively pure and deep... Gains sweetness
on the long, spicy finish. This outstanding value offers the complexity of
wines costing much more.”
We still have some of the 2004 at the same price -
Robert
Parker:
90 “The 2004 Prima is 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) aged 11 months in
French and American oak and bottled unfiltered. It reveals notes of cedar,
pencil lead, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. Medium to full-bodied, the
wine’s personality is fruit-filled and flavorful. It has fine depth and
concentration, and the tannin is ripe. This strong effort will evolve for 2-4
years and drink well through 2017. It is an outstanding value.”
Falset
Márça Old Vines, 2003 ($19.99)
- Certain wines make you step back and say, “Wow!” This is one of them. From
the hills of Montsant, Spain, which is very close to Priorat, this big,
delicious blend of 85% Garnacha (Grenache) and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon is
fabulous and a real value. The grapes were grown on a vineyard with an 11%
slope, which is difficult for the workers, but great for the quality of the
wine. The excellent drainage and very poor soil ensures low yields. Jordi Alonso
was the winemaker for this 1200-case cuvée. Stephen Tanzer 90 “Inky ruby.
Deep, powerful, and exotic on the nose, with intense cola, licorice, cherry
liqueur, and oak spice aromas; this smells like a serious, big-bucks wine.
Suave, silky, and lush, the cherry and dark berry flavors show great intensity
and sweetness and are given focus and support by fine-grained tannins. Pliant
and sweet through the strikingly pure, bright, long finish. A superb bargain.” Earth
2.0 Reserva, Navarra, 2003
($23.99) – The Navarra district in north-east Spain wraps around the eastern
and southern part of Rioja, and it frequently offers better value than its
famous neighbor. This blend of 50% Tempranillo and 50% Merlot comes from an
organically certified vineyard that has seen no herbicides or artificial
fertilizers for three years. After a warm, eight-day fermentation in stainless
steel, the wine is transferred to oak barrels for 18 months of aging. The
extensive oak aging shows in the wine. Deep cherry color pairs with complex
toasted oak aromas and ripe, dark fruit with spices. It is a smooth but powerful
wine with lingering but soft tannins. This attractive, modern-style wine is
excellent with steaks and roasts.
El
Coto Rioja Reserva "Coto de Imaz," 2001 ($23.99)
- We’ve carried the El Coto Rioja Crianza since it was our Wine of the Month
in 2005, but this is the first time we’ve carried the Reserva. Made from
selected Tempranillo grapes from El Coto’s vineyard in Rioja Alta (the
Crianza also uses grapes purchased from growers in Rioja Alavesa). It was
given a long maceration with the skins and after which it was aged 18 months
in American oak barrels. It was further aged for 24 months in the bottle
before release. This is just a beautiful example of a traditional Rioja. Soft,
oaky, elegant, and very refined, it is a supple, pleasurable, medium-flavored
wine. El Coto was founded in 1970 and has grown dramatically since
then. The Reserva is named for the estate surrounding the medieval fortress
pictured on the label. Monks cultivated vineyards surrounding the Fortress of
Imaz as early as the 16th century.
Martinez La Orbe
Rioja, 2002 ($22.99) - This is the replacement for the stunning 2001
vintage. From a clearly more challenging vintage, it none-the-less is a very
successful wine with plenty of flavor and finesse. Parker 87: “The 2002 La
Orbe spends 12 months in French and American oak, exhibits leathery, spicy,
graphite characteristics along with sweet cherry and black cherry fruit infused
with toasty vanilla. It is best consumed 2005-08”
Condada de Haza, Ribera
del Duero, 2002 ($22.99) - This is a terrific
replacement for the 1995 and 1996 vintages. This is a new property of
Alejandro Fernandez, the owner of Pesquera. Rich, chocolatey and moderately
oaked this is good stuff! Delicious now, but seems to have the stuffing to
last a few years. Recent vintages have all received Wine Spectator 92!!
ratings.
Venta del Puerto Noiz
Selección Especial, 2005 ($24.99) - We have often focused on the
inexpensive wines of Spain (four monthly selections over the last year have been
Spanish), but many excellent values are also being made in the middle price
range. Wine making in Valencia predates the Romans, but the region was thought
to be too hot for top quality. Recently there has been a dramatic improvement in
the best of the local wines. This blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Tempranillo, and
Syrah from low-yield, head-trained vines shows the wood influence from 10 months
in American oak, but it has vibrant and balanced fruit. It comes from Bodega la
Viña de Font de la Figuera, a cooperative that dates to 1944. With vineyards
totaling over 5000 acres, it produces wines that range from basic, everyday
plonk to this superb Selección Especial.
Los 800, 2003 ($24.99) - Here is another Spanish wine that
offers tremendous value. Compare this to a $40 California Cabernet! The name
of this Priorat wine derives from the fact that all the vines are planted at
an altitude of at least 800 meters. Aged for six months in a combination of
French and American oak, this blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Carignane, 10%
Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Syrah is not a huge wine. But there is good depth
of fruit, the balance is superb, and it components are beautifully integrated.
Stephen Tanzer:
López de Heredia Viña Bosconia Rioja Reserva,
1996 ($44.99) -You may have noticed Eric Asimov’s article in the New York Times
about traditional Riojas (www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/dining/12pour.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=lopez&st=cse).
Much of the article was devoted to Lopez de Heredia. I visited this amazing
winery in 2003 and was blown away by the cobwebs and the fact that
Lopez doesn’t release any of their wines until they are at least six years
old. Many cuvées are held back until they are even older. Little about López de Heredia has changed in the
125 years since its founding. The family adheres to the tradition begun in the
1880’s - to make wine only from their own vineyards, using natural yeasts,
long aging in wood, and no filtration at bottling. Most of its competitors are
now owned by outside investors, but López de Heredia is owned and operated by
the family who founded it. The bodega is now in the capable hands of the
family’s youngest generation, Maria José, Mercedes, and Julio Cèsar.
Bodegas
Tritium Tempranillo, Rioja, 2003
($36.99) - Robert Parker:
91
“The
delicious 2003 Tritium, 100% Tempranillo, was bottled for the importer by
Vinicola de Alcanadre, a cooperative. It is medium to dark ruby in color with
aromatics that just won’t quit. Spicy red and black fruits with hints of cedar
and smoke are followed by an elegant, medium bodied wine with a velvety texture
and intense, lingering flavors. Close your eyes and you might think you were
drinking great Burgundy.” San
Vicente, Rioja, 1999 ($44.99) - One of Rioja’s
perennial winners, San Vicente makes wines that are Pomerol-like, but with more
intensity. It is made from 100% Tempranillo, spends 20 months in new American
and French oak, and is bottled unfiltered. This 1999 is developing nicely, but
it’s already plump and seductive. Parker:
92
“The dense, hedonistic,
jammy 1999 boasts loads of fruit and glycerin, as well as additional ripeness,
volume, fat, and depth. Displaying the same black currant, jammy cherry fruit,
and copious toasty new oak characteristics, it will provide enjoyment during its
first decade of life.” Coma D’en Pou, 1999 ($45.99) - From the Terralta appellation in Catalonia, this is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Garnacha (Grenache). Deeply concentrated with complex flavors, it is accessible, but will improve with several years of aging. Additional older vintages and rarities can be found at our Oldies But Goodies page. White
Ladera Sagrada Papa, 2005 ($14.99) - Spanish Albariños have received some acceptance, but who has ever heard of a grape called Godello? The Ladera Sagrada winery (est. 1920), in the Valdorras region of northwestern Spain, is owned by Jose Sotos. Although this is one of the coolest parts of Spain, the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean moderates the temperature and provides for a longer ripening period resulting in more aromatic and fresher wines. A 15% slope and a nutrient-poor topsoil and subsoil (slate stone, granite, and thin clay) produce one-third the yield of most Spanish wines. The resulting wine is unique and unoaked with great flavor intensity and aromatic expression. Delicious now, it has a reputation for improvement with age. Burgáns Albariño, Rias Baixas, 2004 ($14.99) - This second label of Martin Codax is stunning. Harvested 10 days after most Albariños, it shows more ripeness of fruit, a wonderfully floral bouquet, and remarkable balance between its fruit, body, and acidity. A touch of carbon dioxide gives it a lively, crisp finish. One of our best $15 white wines. Nessa Albariño, Rias Baixas, 2007 ($15.89) - Adegas Gran Vinum is a small, modern, family-owned winery that opened in its current form in 2002. It was founded on land owned and lovingly cultivated by the owner’s grandparents so that the winery employs old traditions to balance its modern equipment and methods. The winery is located in Galicia, in northwest Spain on the border with Portugal and on the Atlantic Ocean. This Albariño was made from a combination of young estate-grown vines and purchased fruit, fermented in stainless steel, and aged on its lees for a few weeks. It displays fresh orange and lime citrus with a lively fruity structure, a crisp, refreshing flavor, and an easy drinking profile. It should be perfect with seafood, light salads, Asian cuisine, or chicken with plenty of citrus fruits or glaze. Stephen Tanzer: 87 “Green-tinged gold. Wonderfully pure and bright nose features pungent, mineral-laced apple, pear and nectarine accented by crushed stone, jasmine and pungent herbs. Racy, focused orchard and citrus flavors show excellent spine and thrust. Persistent finishing flavors of pungent herbs, minerals and lemon zest.” Martin Códax
Albariño, 2008 ($16.59) - If you are a fan of the lovely Albariños from
north-west Spain, or if you just want to try a new one (or even your first),
this is the wine for you! The Albariño grape is distinguished from others in
that it grows in very small clusters and contains a high sugar content and high
acidity that give the wine softness yet freshness. The Martin Códax Winery
(named for a 13th century Galician minstrel whose preserved manuscript is in the
Morgan Library) is essentially a co-op founded by a group of grape growers in
1986. Luciano Amoedo, one of the founders of the co-op, is the winery’s
enologist and head of R&D in conjunction with local universities. The wine
is straw-colored and bright with a hint of sparkle. There’s a special
intensity and elegance to the aroma which is reminiscent of fresh herbs and
semi-ripe apples. The palate shows good body and a freshness of fruit that is
alluring. At only 12% alcohol, it is balanced and refreshing. This beauty pairs
magnificently with scallops, mussels, and lobsters, but it is quite at home with
all seafood. The co-op also makes the slightly sweet Burgáns Albariño that we
carry, as well as a barrel-fermented Organistrum. Paco & Lola Albariño, Rias Baixas, 2007 ($18.69) - I just love a good Albariño, and this is one of the best! Rich in apricot/peach/citrus/green apple fruit and round in texture, it is very well balanced and sports a modest 12.5% alcohol and a very modern, polka-dot label. This delicious wine is perfect with sushi, fish, tempura, pasta, risotto, and white meats. P&L is a cooperative of over 400 growers and 200 hectares under the direction of winemaker Antonio Porto. Only 30% of production is selected for this premium wine. To fully enjoy its beautiful fruit, the recommended serving temperature is between 50 and 54 degrees F. Brandal (Adegas D’Altamira) Albariño, 2006 (reg. $24.99; sale $18.69) - I love this ripe, rich, and aromatic Albariño. It has a softness akin to the wines of Alsace with abundant flavor (lime, stone fruits, and melon) and exceptional quality that are partly due to the trellising system used by D’Altamira. One of the highest in Rias Baixas, it allows for maximum aeration and ripening of the grapes. Unlike most Rias Baixas wineries, Adegas D’Altamira does not use malolactic fermentation. The wine thus keeps an acidity that is balanced by concentrated fruit for complexity, sophistication, mouthfeel, and aging potential. Wine Enthusiast: "Best Buy." Made from 100% Viura grapes, the 1999 Crianza is Lopez’s current release! The yield in 1999 was naturally reduced by a severe April frost. The wine was aged four years in barrel with racking twice a year after which it was fined with fresh egg whites but not filtered. Pale gold in color, it shows complex yet fresh aroma and flavors and tertiary components as opposed to primary or even secondary fruit. This amazingly interesting and complex wine will continue to evolve for years. Perfect with fish, white meat, and pasta. The 1987 Gran Reserva is a wine unlike any you may have tried. No fresh,
fruity, bright, short-lived wine here. Instead, it is mature, complex, and
crisply acidic. It will continue to age well. Of all the wines we tasted at
Lopez, this is the one Judie and I kept going back to. Unique, food-friendly,
and fascinating!
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