Bag In Box

Have you tried any of our new ‘bag in box’ wines? I know, I know, box wines don’t have the greatest reputation but I have recently changed my mind about this particular style of wine packaging.
I first started experimenting with bag in box wine to address concerns about the environmental cost of shipping heavy glass bottles around the globe. What I found was that the problem with box wine was not the bag or the box, it was the wine. The juice inside the box was just not that interesting. Happily, we have found some Portuguese wines that have been successful here in the bottle and are now also available in the box.
Not all wines are appropriate for the box. This package is best when used for young wines intended for near term consumption. Wines that need time to mature should still be packaged in glass bottles, but after tasting the same wines in bottle and in box I am satisfied that the box can be a great way to go. The main advantage of the box is that it keeps the wine fresh from the first glass to the last drop. Another benefit is that the price drops considerably when buying the wine in box rather than by the bottle.
Lynne Bennett wrote a nice piece last week in the San Francisco Chronicle about taking box wines along on a picnic, which is a fine idea (less weight, more wine). A customer here in Berkeley stocks up on box wine to use as “earthquake supplies”. I have had great success just keeping a box on the counter or in the fridge at home to use as needed. I have taken to decanting a dinner’s worth of wine at a time so as to let the wine open up a bit in the air.
Here is our current selection of bag in box wine:

Alandra Branco 3 Liter ‘Bag in Box’ This young Portuguese white wine is floral and fruity yet possesses a bright element that keeps it refreshing. I used this last week for a delicious sangria using apricots, raspberries and Meyer lemons. The box, which will fit perfectly in your refrigerator, holds 4 bottles worth of wine so the cost comes out to $3.75 per bottle. $14.99
Alandra Tinto 3 Liter ‘Bag in Box’ The red Alandra in the bottle has been a popular ‘house wine’ around here. The wine is juicy and fresh with ripe berry fruit character. The same wine in box brings the price down to $4.00 per bottle (versus $6.99 in glass). $15.99
Quinta do Figo 5 Liter ‘Bag in Box’ This is a darkly tinted, expressive red wine from Portugal’s Estremadura region. It expresses black cherry fruit character, medium weight tannins and earthy background notes. The price here comes down to $3.90 per bottle’s worth of wine. $25.99
Capote Velho 5 Liter ‘Bag in Box’ My original review of this wine said “What A bargain! This non-vintage red wine from who knows where in Portugal has absolutely no pedigree but really delivers on freshness and versatility. This wine possesses gentle berry-like fruit character and moderate tannins coupled with a moderate level of alcohol (11.5%). Like a no name house wine in a little Portuguese bar or restaurant, this red tastes great by itself and will also accompany, but not overshadow, a broad range of foods.” We now offer this same wine in the more economical, environmentally friendly ‘Bag in Box’ size that contains five full liters of wine for $6.00 per liter (equals $4.00 per regular 750ml bottle). $29.99

Canary Islands Wine

The new vintage of Tajinaste wines, brought in by the intrepid importer José Pastor, has just arrived. These are some of my current favorite wines in the shop and if you have yet to try them, you are in for a treat.
On the island of Tenerife, in the demarcated Valle de Orotava region, the García Farráis family has operated a small winery since 1977. Using vines that date back to the early years of the 20th century they make wines from the Listán Negro and Listán Blanco varieties that are indigenous to this region. The vines grow low to the ground in craters hollowed out of the black volcanic soil to protect them from the strong winds that constantly buffet the island. The vines are braided together to further strengthen them from the elements. This unique environment produces pure, earthy wines. The white is tart and herbaceous. The red is lean and mineral. A small portion of both wines spends a brief period in neutral oak, imparting not so much barrel character but rather just a bit of added textural density.
Tajinaste Tinto Tradicional 2008
The wine is cloudy lavender in color with light texture and sweet floral perfume. Firm minerality creates a foundation which supports fresh mulberry fruit character and gentle tannins. $21.99
Tajinaste Blanco 2008
This interesting white wine, our first from the Canary Islands, is made from the local Listán Blanco grape. Pale straw color and mineral foundation frame aromas of white peach and lemon zest.  This gentle yet lean white will compliment subtly flavored vegetable dishes and cold seafood appetizers. $19.99

Buyer’s Choice

Wine drinkers are an opinionated bunch, united by our strongly held though often opposing beliefs about what constitutes ‘the good stuff’.

What one drinker enjoys, another may dislike. Some of us appreciate wines with delicate and subtle characteristics, while others are drawn to wines possessing bold, assertive flavors. My ‘balanced and elegant’ may be your ‘thin and lifeless’.

I am known to tell customers that among the hundreds of wines we carry (548 at last count), you are bound to find wines that you love as well as wines that are not to your taste. That is why we carry such a broad assortment. My job is to buy across a broad spectrum of styles and to steer you toward whatever type of wine you most enjoy.

Of course, when the day is done and I buy a bottle to take home and drink with dinner, I, like you, have my own particular preferences. Occasionally I write about the wines that I personally enjoy, not only as an exercise in shameless self promotion but also as a way to help you gauge what you read here. You can put my opinions in perspective and calibrate my palate to your own if you know what I like.

So this week it’s all about me, me, me.

As a wine buyer I taste boatloads of wines that are varietally and regionally ‘correct’ without being particularly interesting. For each wine that I buy for The Spanish Table, many more have been sampled and rejected for one reason or another. I tend to seek out wines with a noticeable difference from the many lookalike choices crowding the field.

Perhaps it’s my contrarian nature (almost a birthright in Berkeley) or maybe I am simply suffering from palate fatigue after trying so many wines at work, but at home I tend to favor simple wines that express their nature without pretense. A wine from a far flung region made from a little known grape will excite my intellect. A wine with a moderate level of alcohol, well integrated oak (or none at all, even better) and pure, clean fruit character will awaken my senses. The combination of all these elements really captures my attention.

This week I am highlighting some of my current personal favorites that are also appropriate to the autumn season. When you come into the store you will now find a special section labeled ‘Kevin’s Favorites’ with all these wines gathered together in one place. Please give them a try and let me know what you think.

Viña Mein 2007 This wine is fashioned from a blend of 80% Treixadura, 10% Godello, 5% Loureiro, and 1% to 2% each of Albariño, Torrontés, Albilla and Caiño. Bright gold color, fresh melon aroma and bright citrus fruit character never overwhelm the flinty mineral foundation that maintains the lean focus of this unoaked white wine. $19.99

Dorado Alvarinho 2006 Marcial Dorado, from Galicia in Spain, makes this excellent 100% Alvarinho wine in the Vinho Verde region of Portugal. After searching in vain for the perfect Albariño vineyard in Spain, he crossed the Minho River and bought a vineyard of 70 year old Alvarinho located just above the little town of Melgaço where he also built a small gravity fed (no pumping of wine from tank to tank) winery called Quinta do Feital. The unoaked ‘Dorado’, the flagship of the winery, is rich with melon and pear aromas and flavors. Bright acidity punctuates the ripe fruit character, creating a long, lingering finish. A quantum leap in quality compared to just about any other Vinho Verde. $28.99

Gorrondona Tinto 2007 The rare and elusive red Txakoli is difficult to find. These firmly tannic wines are lean and full of mineral flavor, with a gentle fruit character that fades quickly with age. Happily, the new Gorrondona Tinto, made from 100% Hondarribi Beltza (grown in miniscule quantities on ancient vines), is super fresh, with light berry-like fruit character balancing firm minerality. This is an excellent and unusual light red. $27.99

Viña do Burato 2007 This wine from Ribeira Sacra in Northwestern Spain, made from the local Mencía grape, is bright and youthful, medium bodied and relatively low in alcohol (12.5%). Firm minerality and delicate floral aroma combine with gentle fruit character. This small production wine (400 cases in total) is a rare treat from a region that deserves much more attention. $19.99

Tajinaste Tinto Tradicional 2007 This unique wine comes from the Orotava Valley of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. Agustín García founded Bodegas Tajinaste in 1981. He produces this wine from the local Listán Negro grape. This unoaked wine (they make a barrel aged red too) is cloudy lavender in color with light texture and sweet floral perfume. Firm minerality creates a foundation which supports fresh mulberry fruit character and gentle tannins. $21.99

 

 

Wine Strategy

Everywhere I turn these days, I find people watching their budgets more closely than before.  As the current gyrations of financial markets continue, increasing uncertainty leads to difficult choices about where to spend our dwindling resources. In tough economic times we all need to prioritize our expenses.

When it comes to putting wine on the dinner table, the good news is that frugality does not need to include deprivation. What is needed is a good strategy.

With some careful shopping, excellent wines can be found for very reasonable prices. I write this with confidence because my primary responsibility around here is to find wines that combine high quality with low price.

For those of you who have shopped at The Spanish Table for years, this is not news. You know that Spain and Portugal are consistent sources of great wine values. Last year we added wines from Argentina and Chile to our collection because we saw the ever-increasing level of quality and value coming from these countries. In the last month we have started carrying a few Iberian style wines from right here in California that compare favorably in price and quality to their counterparts from distant shores.

My (admittedly partisan) coping strategy is simple, if a bit blunt. Tough times require good wine.

A simply prepared dinner, accompanied by a uniquely delicious bottle of wine is a surefire stress reducer.  The company of family and friends around the dinner table is both gratifying and economical.  Share a well made and well priced wine with your friends and you will earn both their gratitude and their respect.

Currently, The Spanish Table carries over 160 wines that are priced under $15 per bottle, with an additional 150 wines that come in under $30 per bottle. Included among these are some new wines that just arrived this week.

Continue reading to check out our latest new wines and remember that this is just a sample of the distinctly delicious and oh so affordable wines that you will find every day at The Spanish Table.

 

Hidalgo Clásica Amontillado This well priced Amontillado Sherry from the famous Bodegas Hidalgo–La Gitana exhibits light raisin fruit character as well as abundant toasted almond aroma and flavor. This medium dry Sherry makes an excellent accompaniment to full flavored cheeses, cured meats and other salty snacks. $11.99

 

Calcari 2007 If you are weary from drinking oaky white wines loaded with the flavors of coconut, vanilla and melted butter then this may well be the wine you have been searching for. Pares Balta, a Catalan winery in the heart of D.O. Penedès, makes this white wine from the local Xarel-l0 (more or less pronounced cha-rel-OH) grape usually reserved for the production of sparkling Cava. This unoaked, single varietal wine is stripped bare of all superfluous elements, leaving behind a crisp wine that is flinty and lean with tart grapefruit flavor and chalky minerality. $16.99

 

Solà Fred 2006 In the Montsant region of Catalunya, Celler el Masroig makes Solà Fred, a blend of 90% Cariñena and 10% Garnacha, fermented in tank without passing through any period of ageing in oak barrels. The result is a fresh, light, balanced wine with expressive fruit character and gentle grape skin tannins. Clear ruby color, abundant fresh berry aroma, bright acidity and almost weightless texture combine to create a wine that refreshes the palate and stimulates the appetite. $11.99

 

Luzon Verde 2007 This is a big wine for a small price. We just received the new 2007 vintage of this crowd pleasing 100% Monastrell wine from the Mediterranean Jumilla region. Bodegas Luzon makes this wine from their organically farmed vineyard (their other wines are not organic). Dark color, bold fruit character and bright acidity combine to express the youthful, primary quality of this rich red wine. $10.99

 

Alaia 2005 This dark, robust red is a blend of 50% Prieto Picudo (a little known grape that thrives in this region) along with 45% Tempranillo and 5% Merlot. Aromas of mushrooms and fresh earth encounter ripe blackberry fruit character and mid-weight barrel tannins (the wine spends 9 months in oak). A spicy finish rounds out the picture. $12.99

 

Tajinaste Tinto Tradicional 2007 This unique wine comes from the Orotava Valley of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands.  Agustín García founded Bodegas Tajinaste in 1981. He produces this wine from the local Listán Negro grape. This unoaked wine (they make a barrel aged red too) is cloudy lavender in color with light texture and sweet floral perfume. Firm minerality creates a foundation which supports fresh mulberry fruit character and gentle tannins.  $21.99

New Wines From All Over

It is, by now, a well established fact that the Spanish Table sells new, interesting, delicious wines from some of the world’s most dynamic wine producing regions. Our reputation has grown over time as customers taste the many unique wines arriving weekly from Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Chile. Nothing makes us happier than when a customer discovers a new wine in our shop and shares it with friends. We offer a unique and ever changing collection that can intrigue even the most jaded of palates.

This week’s selections are a perfect example of the new and distinctly delicious wines that arrive here on a regular basis. Today we offer you wines from Portugal made from grapes such as Arinto, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês and Maria Gomes, with the latter coming in a still as well as a sparkling version. From a winery approaching its 200^th anniversary we have just received a new Manzanilla Sherry which will provide supreme refreshment during the hot summer weather. Our first red table wine from the Canary Islands will surely please those in search of a change of pace and our newest Portuguese red showcases one of the new styles currently emerging from this rapidly improving region.

To go with your favorite new wine, here is a recipe for a wine friendly snack that is found in various versions all across Spain. Meat on a stick is popular world wide, but Pinchos Morunos are specific to Spain. The Moorish origins of this dish are retained in the spice mix, but in Spain the meat is most commonly pork though lamb is still sometimes used. You can make these for a party and serve one per person or put three or four on a plate and serve them as a main course.

Kevin’s quick and easy Grilled Pinchos Morunos

(Makes about 20 skewers)

Ingredients:

3 lbs boneless berkshire pork shoulder (Café Rouge Meat Market is my source)

3 tblspns sweet smoked paprika

2 tblspns freshly ground cumin

(or substitute 5 tablespoons Chiquilin brand Pincho Seasoning for the paprika and cumin)

1 tspn salt

2 tblspns sherry vinegar

2 medium sized yellow onions

2 lemons

20 6” bamboo skewers

Directions:

Cut the pork into 1 inch cubes and combine with paprika, cumin, salt and vinegar. Place seasoned pork in refrigerator and marinate for a few hours. Place skewers in water and soak for one hour before using. Cut onion in eighths and pull apart layers. Cut lemons into wedges.

Prepare the skewers ahead of time using 4 cubes of seasoned pork and two pieces of onion. Thread them on the skewer in the following order: pork, onion, pork, pork, onion, pork.

Grill the skewers over a hot charcoal fire or indoors (if you must) on a grill pan for approximately ten minutes, turning frequently. Serve immediately with lemon wedges as a garnish.

Luis Pato Maria Gomes 2007 Some of you may remember this wine from its inaugural vintage last year. Maria Gomes is the Beiras region version of Fernao Pires. This bright, fresh, peachy wine is supported by underlying minerality. If you have been curious to explore Portuguese whites beyond Vinho Verde, this is the wine for you. $12.99

Luis Pato Espumante Bruto Luis Pato is a controversial figure in the Portuguese wine trade. His uncompromising commitment to quality has sometimes created friction between him and the regulatory authorities in Portugal. In 1998 he left the Bairrada D.O.C. to pursue his own path, with great success. This sparkling wine is made mostly from the same Maria Gomes grape as the previous wine and also includes 5% Arinto in the blend. Lean toasty aroma and tart, leesy fruit character combine with frothy effervescence to create a uniquely refreshing wine. $15.99

Campolargo Arinto 2005 This traditional Bairrada region white wine, made from the Arinto grape spends 6 months ageing in neutral oak barrels, adding a very gentle oak note to the ripe melon and peach fruit character. This small production wine (less than 600 cases in total) will appeal to those seeking a more subtle and restrained version of California white wine. $21.99

San León Manzanilla Clásica Herederos de Argüeso has been making wine in Jerez since 1822. They produce a full range of Sherry but they specialize in the production of Manzanilla. This wine, with an average age of 8 years, is palest straw colored and full of yeasty, saline aroma (like a fresh sea breeze) and toasted almond and chamomile flavors. If you are a Manzanilla lover this is an excellent new wine to add to your list. If you have not yet had a chance to try this most distinctive Spanish wine, this is an excellent place to start. $12.99 (375ml)

Tajinaste 4 Meses 2006 Many of you responded so enthusiastically to our first Canary Island white wine (Tajinaste Blanco) that we are now also bringing in the red wine from the same producer. Tajinaste 4 Meses, from the Valle de Orotava region on the island of Tenerife, is made from the local Listan Negro grape and, as the name implies, is aged for 4 months in oak before bottling. Firm tannins, mineral aroma and tart cranberry fruit character create the first impression, with more spicy black pepper aroma and wet rock minerality coming out as the wine breathes. $12.99

Heredade dos Grous 2006 This rich red wine from the Alentejo region in Portugal is made fom a combination of 35% Aragonês (Portuguese Tempranillo), 30% Alicante Bouschet, 20% Touriga Nacional and 15% Syrah. Napa Cabernet lovers will appreciate this wine (we recently poured this at Copia in Napa with great success). It displays dark garnet color and plush dark berry fruit character. 9 months of barrel age lend medium strength oak tannins and flavor to the wine. To truly enjoy what this wine has to offer, pair it with grilled meat (see above recipe). $21.99

Even More New Stuff

I have been keeping this newsletter brief in recent weeks due to the new wines arriving here all the time. I know that many of you enjoy the recipes that often come with the wine news and I want to reassure you that I will be sharing more of these in the weeks ahead. At present I am taking time to attend the many trade tastings that give wine buyers such as me the opportunity to see what lies ahead for the coming year. This week alone I will taste over one hundred Portuguese wines at Viniportugal and dozens of Spanish wines at the Spanish Cellar & Pantry event. Last week I got to work my way through hundreds of selections at the portfolio tasting for celebrated importer Eric Solomon (more on this below). Aside from purple teeth and stained shirts (white is a bad color to wear to a wine tasting) I come away from these events with a clearer sense of what to share with you, our customers, in the weeks and months ahead. For only by tasting many, many wines do we come up with the select few products that you will find at The Spanish Table. So for now, check out the new arrivals from Eric Solomon and José Pastor. These two importers of excellent Spanish wines are (each in their own distinct way) bringing in some truly special and exciting wines that deserve your attention.

German Gilabert Cava $14.99 No, this is not a wine from Germany. Importer José Pastor has re-purposed the less used parts of his name (José German Pastor Gilabert – honest, he showed me his drivers license) to christen the first Cava to be included in his privately labeled Vinos de Terruños brand. This blend of traditional Cava grapes (Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada) is as crisp and clean as freshly ironed linen. Organically grown fruit from the village of Santa Fe del Penedès is aged on its lees for 16 months with zero dosage, producing a dry, toasty assertively bubbly wine for drinking as a cocktail or with food.

Siete 2007 $12.99 This blend of Garnacha and Tempranillo from the Navarra region of northern Spain made its first appearance last year in the inaugural vintage of the Vinos de Terruños brand from Jose Pastor. The fruit is organically farmed and the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks, not oak barrels, to render the maximum of fruit character unobscured by oaky tannins. This sophomore edition of Siete is true to the style established last vintage and is one of the most popular of the Vinos de Terruños wines.

Tajinaste Blanco 2006 $14.99 This interesting white wine, our first from the Canary Islands, is back in stock. Made from the local Listán Blanco grape grown in volcanic soils at high elevation on the island of Tenerife, pale straw color and mineral foundation frame aromas of white peach and lemon zest. This gentle yet lean white will compliment subtly flavored vegetable dishes and cold seafood appetizers.

Mas Alta Artigas 2005 $38.99 Bodegas Mas Alta is a joint project of an American, importer Eric Solomon and two Frenchmen, negociant Michel Tardieu and enologist Philippe Cambie. The small production wines from these three well known names were some of my favorites at the recent Eric Solomon Selections portfolio tasting. Artigas is composed of 65% Garnacha and 35% Cariñena grown in the rocky slate/schist of the Priorat region of Catalunya. This opaque amethyst colored wine displays the best elements of Priorat, including abundantly ripe dark berry fruit character interwoven with notes of wild herbs and minerals. Decant for immediate enjoyment or cellar for several years before drinking.

Mas Alta La Basseta 2005 $84.00 My favorite of the Mas Alta wines is this blend of old vine Garnacha, Cariñena and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged in a combination of new and used oak for 16 months prior to bottling. Blackberry liqueur, wild herbs and rocky minerality benefit from the added structure and tannins coming from the Cabernet Sauvignon and the oak barrel ageing. Bold and ripe at present, this wine has a long life ahead of it. Keep this wine in the cellar for a few years and then enjoy it at any time over the following decade.

Artadi El Pisón 2005 $184.00 Bodegas Artadi, one of the best wineries in Rioja Alavesa is known for producing 100% Tempranillo wines of stellar quality. El Pisón, the flagship wine of this bodega, is deeply nuanced and complex yet light as a feather on the palate. Somewhat muted at present, this wine will reveal itself in all its silky glory to those with the patience to wait three or four years before enjoying it. This famous wine (98 points Wine Advocate, 95 points International Wine Cellar) is produced in very small quantities. We have just a few bottles in stock so do act fast to secure a bottle for your cellar.

 

Paella Class

Paella Class is back!  You heard it right friends. This most popular and always delicious Spanish rice dish is the subject of our upcoming Paella and Wine class at Kitchen On Fire Cooking School in North Berkeley. We will delve into the history and origins of this fascinating dish, exploring the many regional variations that have been handed down through the years from generation to generation. Then, working together, we will create a mixed seafood/chicken/pork Paella that we will all share.  In addition to cooking up a big Paella I will also be offering hands-on experience at whipping up some classic tapas to nibble on as the Paella cooks and, since it is me teaching the class, I will be pouring a selection of my favorite Spanish wines to accompany the tasty food.

The date for the class is Monday February 25^th. We will start at 6:30 pm. The cost is $65 per person. Registration for this class is through Kitchen On Fire.  The class is limited to 30 participants. You can sign up for the class on the Kitchen On Fire website.

Meanwhile, we have some important wine news to share with you. Once a year we get a small allotment of one of Spain’s most popular wines. I am talking about Clio, the Jumilla region Monastrell that has been an object of intense desire for wine lovers from coast to coast in recent vintages.  This inky dark, plush, opulent wine will definitely satisfy those in search of a Big Red with a fine pedigree and an almost cult-like following. But wait, that’s not all.  We will also be getting a tiny amount of Clio’s elder sibling El Nido, which, though less well known, is every bit as distinguished if not more so than the less expensive Clio. I suggest you call right away if you want some of these wines as they tend to disappear quickly from our shelves.

We also have some new white wines this week as well as some of my favorite reds for under $20. The descriptions are all here right after my latest classic American recipe with a Spanish accent.

 

Kevin’s (Not) Fried Chicken ‘al ajillo’ (serves 4 as an entrée)

1                    Organic Chicken (approx. 4 lb)

1                  Pint Buttermilk

5                     Garlic cloves

½ cup                     Kosher Salt

3 cups       All Purpose Flour

2 tbls.                     Pimentón de la Vera Dulce

1 tbls.                     Ground Black Pepper

 

This recipe for fried chicken is actually made in the oven. The end result is delicious and very similar to the fried version, only without the pot of messy hot oil.

Cut the chicken up into 10 serving sized pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings with wing tip removed, 2 breasts cut in half crosswise). Crush garlic cloves lightly with the flat side of a knife. Combine chicken pieces, garlic, buttermilk and ¼ cup of salt in a large heavy duty plastic bag. Seal the bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day, combine flour, pimentón, pepper and remaining ¼ cup salt in a clean, dry plastic bag (I use leftover produce bags from the market). Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk and (without wiping off any remaining liquid) shake them one by one in the bag of seasoned flour and then place each piece skin side up on a wire rack, on a baking sheet (use 2 racks and baking sheets so as not to crowd the chicken pieces). Let the chicken pieces rest for 10-20 minutes while you preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cook the chicken pieces for twenty minutes skin side up, then turn the oven down to 300 degrees and finish cooking the chicken on the second side for another twenty five minutes.   

 

Martin Fierro Blanco 2007 $8.99  In the San Juan region of Argentina, Bodegas Bórbore makes this white wine from a blend of  80% Chardonnay and 20%  Torrontes. This unoaked wine blends the crispness of Chardonnay with the more floral Torrontes (the indigenous white grape of Argentina). The result is a refreshing wine with enough body to stand on its own as a cocktail wine. It would also pair well with poultry or rich seafood meals.

 

Tajinaste Blanco 2006 $14.99 This interesting new white wine, our first from the Canary Islands, is made from the local Listán Blanco grape grown in volcanic soils at high elevation on the island of Tenerife. Pale straw color and mineral foundation frame aromas of white peach and lemon zest.  This gentle yet lean white will compliment subtly flavored vegetable dishes and cold seafood appetizers.

 

Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas 2006 $35.99 We are thrilled to have just received an entire case of this extremely rare Albariño produced from vines reputed to be over 20o 0years old.  Considered by many to be one of the best Albariños, even one of the best white wines in all of Spain regardless of varietal, this firmly mineral wine will evolve over time (2-3 years) an will release more aroma and gentle fruit character as it ages. For immediate gratification this is a white wine to decant and serve with raw shellfish. As pure an expression of Albariño as I have yet tried. Simply stunning.

 

Convento Oreja Roble 2005 $19.99 This 100% Tempranillo wine from Ribera del Duero was aged in oak for a brief 4 months before bottling. Dark color, typical for the region, is matched with ripe berry fruit and just a hint of toasty oak. This smooth red will compliment red meat and hearty winter stews.

 

Pago Florentino 2004 $19.99 This opulent La Mancha region Tempranillo has a loyal following which grows as the wine becomes more well known. Jay Miller reviewed this wine for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. He rated it 89 Points, saying: “Serious efforts are being made to elevate quality in La Mancha and this is one signpost. The 2004 Pago Florentino is an estate bottled wine composed of 100% Tempranillo from young vines. It was aged for 12 months in new and used French and American oak. Dark ruby in color, it offers up attractive fruity aromas of plums, blueberry, and licorice with smoky, toasty notes in the background. This is followed by a lush, medium to full-bodied wine with a supple texture, ripe fruit, and good flavors in an easy-drinking, user-friendly style. Drink this hedonistic effort over the next 2-3 years. It is a very good value.”

 

Clio 2005 $46.00  Old vine Monastrell from Jumilla is what Clio is mostly made from (along with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon). These thick skinned grapes are picked at full ripeness and treated with great care at every step in this wine’s elaboration. The end result is a dark, full bodied red that will best accompany a full-flavored meaty meal. Josh Raynolds recently reviewed the new vintage of Clio for The International Wine Cellar. He rated the wine 93 points saying: “Inky purple. Vibrant red and dark berries on the nose, with sexy vanillin oak, Asian spices, fresh flowers and bright minerality. A silky, graceful midweight, displaying vivid raspberry and blackberry flavors and slow-building tannic grip. More tangy than the 2004, and at least as elegant, finishing with outstanding clarity and persistence.”

 

El Nido 2005 $140.00 The flagship wine from this celebrated Jumilla region winery is made from the same fruit as the Clio but the proportions are switched around. El Nido is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% old vine Monastrell. Josh Raynolds also reviewed this wine for Steven Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar. He rated it 94 points, saying “Opaque violet. Seductively perfumed bouquet of red and dark berry liqueur, graphite, Asian spices and incense. This saturates every nook and cranny of the palate with flavors of sweet raspberry, boysenberry, candied licorice, cinnamon and vanilla. Impressively fresh for such flavor impact, thanks to gentle tannins and vibrant finishing minerality. A lingering, subtle strawberry quality underscores this wine’s impression of elegance over brute force.”