Category: Spain

2024 Finca Fabian Tempranillo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla

Holiday apartments can have some really bad wine glasses. Our stop on a languid white sand beach on a corner of Menorca also left a much appreciated welcome pack including some jamon and what I dismissed as another supermarket Tempranillo. Memories of enjoying jovens, Spanish Temp in its simplest form, years ago in Basque pintxos bars made me reach for the corkscrew. Not the waiter’s friend sort but one of those with the upraised arms and single thread that look like they’re gesturing, ‘we’re sorry we only pulled out the middle and left the outside of the cork still in the bottle’. The wine itself was a delicious surprise. Less heavily extracted than most and fragrant with bright fruit. All the usual red fruits and cola scents and flavours of Tempranillo, fresh and building a bit of momentum. Endearing fruit juice acidity and some sweet skin tannin. Organic fruit without heavy sulphur treatments may help or the fact it’s from a business of only 300 hectares which is small by Spanish conglomerate standards it seems. When it comes to Tempranillo, I do need reminding less can be more drinkable. Good enough to keep an eye out for another bottle from Dominio de Punctum, the business behind this label. Sadly, I can’t seem to find one amongst all the local supermarkets’ Crianzas and Reservas.

13.5% alcohol. Diam. Included in week’s rent but possibly €5 at most.

91 points. Plus one for surprise enjoyment.

2023 Bodegas Pirineos 3404 Tinto Merlot Garnacha Moristel

From the DO or should it be DOP of Somontano up in foothills of the Pyrenees comes this odd blend. The back label says 3404 refers to the altitude of the mountain El Aneto overlooking the sunny Somontano vineyards. And a bit of cooler air has done this no harm. Lots but not too much extraction of delicious plum, cherry pip and raspberry fruit, fresh and full of juice. Just that extra length and intensity of flavour that pushes above the basic Spanish joven examples. This has a rich purple plum thing which those who know the left bank of Bordeaux business say is perhaps typical of Merlot? Probably not the sort of posh tannin poise though? Good fresh and natural feeling acidity on a chew of slate like skin tannin keeps things trim and taut. Pirineos’ Moristel has often been a tasty off the beaten path treat. This too is a diversion worth following. More interest for me than a lot those bottles labelled Crianza or Reserva.

14% alcohol. Diam, nearly ubiquitous in Spain now it seems. About €5, great value.

92 points.

NV Romate Fino

Spanish supermarkets seem to vary quite a bit in their wine offerings. The big Mercadona in Mahon, capital of lovely Menorca, only has a small range of cheap, large scale production Tempranillo and Verdejo which is very uninspiring, particularly as it has really good food offerings on display. Oddly, the small supermarket in the dreamy seaside village of Binibequer had this fresh bottle on the shelf for about €10 amongst other tempting things. Think the producer’s full title is Bodega Sanchez Romate Hermanos, quite grand. The back label said L24319 which means it was bottled in 2024, possibly on the 19th March? I can never remember how the numbers run. As there’s no 31st September, I could be correct? You have to be grateful for something more interesting than the boring Tempranillo and Verdejo which seem to clog the shelves in Spain in the same way cheap Shiraz and kiwi Sauvignon Blanc do in Australia. This is a delicious version of how good the winemaking has become in some parts of El Triangulo in recent years. Loads of savoury flor, chamomile and yellow fruit. Stony sea smells and an austere bite of yeasty straw, all nicely cushioned by comforting glycerol like cream texture and soft acidity. All nicely clean and easy. A mouthful after a bite of one of those gilda spears with anchovy, tiny pepper and olives, and you’ve got one of the best value taste sensations on the planet. Did I mention I like Spain?

15% alcohol. Screw cap, things are changing in Jerez. €9.95.

92 points.

2017 Celler Aixalà Alcait Les Clivelles de Torroja Priorat

It’s been over six months since the last post, and having had my credit card automatically debited again for the minimum WordPress subscription, it’s probably best to actually write something. This bottle was one of two left in the stash from a bargain mixed six pack once offered by a favourite importer, aptly named The Spanish Acquisition. It was when Covid hit and lock downs made it very difficult to stay in business. Without their generous offers, I may have never discovered how good are recent versions of Priorat. Made from pure Carignan or Carinyena in Spanish or Samsó in Catalan, this single village wine is so very much of place. Odd they put the Spanish name for the variety on the label but then write something in the local Catalan which amplifies my language confusion. Carignan can ripen to 14.5% in Priorat but still stay so fresh and full of bounce. Still some purple red in both colour and flavour. Dark red cherries, rich cocoa and that unmistakable sooty old fireplace thing that those llicorella stony soils seem to bring. Lovely build of fruit and that mineral, er…slate or something, freshness drives on and on till the bottle’s gone. Don’t really want to go back to the dark and quiet days of lock downs but wish I’d ordered a few more.

14.5% alcohol. Cork. Bargain and good to see TSA still going strong.

94 points.

2021 Vitícola Mentridana Las Uvas De La Ira Sierra de Gredos Méntrida DO

Originally made by Daniel Landi from Comando G but now made separately by Curro Bareño who is in charge of Vitícola Mentriana from this vintage. Seems he’s as much of a local as señor Landi and really invested in both vineyard and winery. Reports suggest a cool vintage in the high hills of Gredos which has done the quality of fruit no harm at all on the basis of this bottle. The naming and detail of these Gredos wines can be confusing as the whole area doesn’t seem to have its own DO but the small area of Méntrida near Toledo does. It’s found in one of the two major Gredos valleys, Valle del Tiétar, which some observers have suggested would be a good on delimitating the area. Add to this confusion the individual names of wine villages overlaid on DOs that don’t make a lot of sense and I’m a bit baffled. It could all simply be Gredos Garnacha as that’s about the only red wine made there is in any quantity or quality. Anyway it’s what’s in the glass that counts and this is very, very good. The Comando G Gredos Garnachas have been a little bit..er..rustic for me at times but this is really clean without losing any of the sense of place or its grace in shape. That lovely relaxed red fruit that Garnacha does well sculpted into focus by pinpoint tannin and again for want of a better words, refreshing mineral acidity. Cherries and ripe stewed strawberries, a brush of pomegranate juice tannin, herby ripe stems maybe and wet granite like pucker. The best bits of Garnacha ripeness contained by a mountain freshness. Gentle power. Another bit of Spain on the wish list.

The back label has some interesting info, vino de pueblo etc…

14.5% alcohol. Cork. Swap.

94 points.

2021 Envínate Vinos Atlanticos Táganan

Another of the swaps for some of the annual Wendouree order and another from the Canary Islands, yet another one of Spain’s rediscovered wonders. From the north east tip of Tenerife and pre phylloxera vines including a field blend of obscure varieties as well as the principal Lístan Negro, this is extraordinary. It took nearly three days for a compelling tale to unfold. An oceanic fog of flints banged hard, that seems typical of old volcanic soils, clears to smells of fresh berries and spice. So pure and evenly spread with depth and breadth, the wave breaks on rocks that dry and refresh as the tide sucks. These are simply the best flavoured and balanced grapes turned into liquid. Individual descriptions of flavours seem redundant. How an island so close to the Sahara can produce wine that’s about as thrilling and satisfying as anything I’ve been lucky enough to drink from the established greats of France or Italy is boggling. Long threads of perfect red fruit, spiced just enough to emphasise and a structure to build stories of heroic wine if you listen carefully. Spain’s the most exciting place, from Galicia to Jerez and from Gredos to the Canaries. Prods a jaded old wine nut to hyperbole and more nonsense.

12% alcohol. Cork. Swap.

96 points. Great.

Lot 22-131 Bodegas Barbadillo Pastora Manzanilla Pasada En Rama

An incredible bargain from the shelves of Dan Murphy’s ethanol barns. Normally about $AU40 reduced to a members’ offer for $AU21, a whole 750ml bottle too, not a half. I’ve already banged on about how Barbadillo are doing great things for the quality of their sizeable bit of El Marco, but really, this is delicious. What is old is new again in a sense as this is a revival of the first Manzanilla ever bottled in 1827 as the back label says. Reading the excellent sherrynotes.com website it seems this is taken from the vast Solear solera as a six year old and moved in barrels to the La Pastora bodega a street away for a further three years for the flor to abate, pasada. This shows in a deeper yellow than the standard Solear. It’s beautifully rounded in smell and taste with yeast mixed down into salty sea smells, dry chamomile and mellow yellow apple and apricot fruit. A long rich and clean end spiked with a tang of salty bitterness. History and renewal of a special wine place. Hankering for a return visit.

15% alcohol. Cork. $21 ludicrous.

95 points.

A 2024 bottling was just a good even if it took a while to unfurl. Bit more definition in the flavour department, great yellow apple and clingstone peach, a shimmer of almond paste and over brewed chamomile tea. Great consistency over bottles.

2022 Herència Altés Garnatxa Negra Terra Alta DO

Vinomofo, for good or bad. I must admit having a trawl now and then since I realised they direct imported the excellent Julien Schaal Rieslings. For most of us price is more than important, the business model less so. When this turned up for about $20 a bottle, my love of Grenache couldn’t resist. All the things that make a near to Priorat version so appealing. Deep but finely tailored cherry and other red fruits, nuts and a rocky cut. Fragrant with dry Mediterranean herbs too. Medium weight, fine skin tannins and refreshing acid bite. The only caveat being a twist of bitter sulphide, sadly so common in Spanish Grenache as it gains a year or so in the bottle. It did subside having been open for a day but..I must admit I always seem to like most Grenache when it’s youthful and booming with just picked succulence anyway. Some of S C Pannell’s McLaren Vale versions have persuaded me otherwise though. With the Rhone it’s more difficult as there’s blending and I can’t afford Rayas these days. The cause of the sulphide bitterness seems to be lack of YAN or yeast available nitrogen according to friendly winemakers. There’s also a much deeper scientific dive into types of sulphur compounds that affect wine and is well beyond my basic chemistry. I still can’t help wondering what makes wine tick though, so excuse me. In short this is probably one to drink at a nice cool temperature, like most young red wine demands, and soon. Nice lightweight bottle too.

14.5% alcohol. Diam. $20.

92 points notwithstanding a marginal fault that probably only bugs my precious taste anyway.

2022 Bien de Altura Vinos Sansofi Gran Canaria DO

Despite a love for things Spanish and there being a bit of fuss about Canary Islands’ wine, I’m pretty sure this is my first island bottle. Sort of another in a theme, as the last long look at a region was Etna and this comes from an island volcano too, albeit a bit less active. Reading about the islands, it seems the indigenous vine Listán Negro doesn’t crop up anywhere else now, it may have originated in Castilla or not depending on the source. There’s some considerable history as the Canaries have avoided phylloxera and vines are planted on original roots. Shakespeare’s Sir Toby Belch suggests someone is in need of a cup of canary in Twelfth Night. I’m a bit late catching up. A Jancis article says these vines are amongst the highest altitude in Europe although the latitude puts the islands closer to Africa. All intriguing really and so to the cup of canary itself. Initially a bit pongy with sulphidic edges and a bit of a natty waft. Just medium to light in extract. Settling down into reductive cherry, woody stem spice, leather and a very ashy, crushed rock landslide. Same in the mouth, the red fruits a bit compacted by stem, reduction and really dry stonewall tannin. Not sure it’s all pleasure. There’s some argument amongst wine lovers suggesting great wine is better without complicated cooking or any food at all. In this case, this ungainly cup took off with a bowl of sweetly tomato laden pasta sauced with pesto Trapanese. Happily a food enhancing structure and a mouthwatering savour took over and cleared the way for some fragrant red fruits and dusty savour. All the doubtful bits dropped away. After a bit of uncertainty about winemaking and enjoyment, three quarters of the bottle disappeared in the time it takes two people to eat dinner. There’s always a new wine adventure without leaving the table.

12.5% alcohol. Diam I think? $? no idea as it was part of a swap for some of the yearly Wendouree delivery. I always seem to do so well and end up with delicious things I wouldn’t normally go for.

94 or 95 points with food, hard to say without. It’s me not you, dear wine.

Barbadillo Fino lot L23-142

Probably one of the best buys from Dan’s direct imports and surprisingly the stock turns over fast enough to put splendidly fresh bottles like this on the shelves. L23 equals bottled this year. Yes, Barbadillo are one of the biggest producers in the Sherry triangle but they’re extraordinarily good too. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in downtown Sanlucar de Barrameda, a pilgrimage to the Taberna der Guerrita is obligatory. The list is chosen by a son of the business who also works as major influence in the wine making at Barbadillo. Another of those talented young people rescuing Sherry from its past. The Taberna has a great shop attached where the only non Marco de Jerez white was a Jura Vin Jaune, bit of a flor theme? If you want to see how good modern Fino can be, try this. Classic but clean smells of flor, estuary breezes, savoury olive brine and dried chamomile. Gentle but strong in the mouth, starting with chiselled flor, middling and ending with bruised apple and yellow peaches, floating on great acidity. All the good clean bits of good Fino. A bargain.

15% alcohol. Screw cap. $20.

93 points.