Spanish wine making straddles two worlds. The vineyards have often been tended by the same families for generations, while the wineries are being refitted with modern new equipment. This Saturday we’ll see how the wines blend the two together as we taste our way thorough Rueda, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat and Exremaddura. Come taste along.
2014 Bodegas Pingón, Carramimbre Verdejo $12
From Rueda this traditional Verdejo shows true varietal aromas of stone fruit (peach) and the fennel notes. Its flavorsome palate shows white fruit notes and a long and balanced finish.
2011 Vina Cerrada Rioja, Crianza $13
95% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano
A good introduction to Rioja, the Cerrada Crianza has attractive varietal aromas of red berries, fresh strawberry leaf and some hints of spice. It is rounded and soft in the mouth, with a medium bodied palate stacked with crunchy red berry and hedgerow fruit leading into an elegantly smooth, caressing finish.
2012 Valdecampana, Ribera del Duero Crianza $15
Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero plays a darker more tannic foil to Riojas brighter fruit. The Valdecampana is no exception. It is a dark and chewy Tempranillo with notes of blackberry, tobacco and roasted vanilla bean.
2012 Castell d’ Or, Esplugen Priorat $19
Garnacha, Cariñena & Cabernet Sauvignon
Castell d’ Or’s estate is centuries- old in Bellmunt del Priorat. The rocky terrain that characterizes the Priorat region, together with the dry climate, generates a wine of great intensity and a rich structure in taste and aromas to the wines. Ripe fruit aromas, deep and complex fragrances and toast notes lead off this mineraled big structured red. The wine has good concentration, with a long pleasant finish. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 10 months.
2007 Marques de Valdueza, Gran Vino Extremadura $32
38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Syrah, 15% Merlot
The Valdueza 18 hectares estate has been managed for generation by the same family. Each vineyard is vinified separately before being aged in French oak. The nose of the Gran Vino is intense, fruity (strawberry, blackcurrant, blackberry cream), floral and resinous (red pepper), spicy (black pepper and cloves) and empyreumatic (coffee, smoked, roasted). It is dense, tasty and with a great balance that highlights freshness. The tannins are silky and well integrated. It is a wine with personality.
Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.