SPAIN

 

Several newcomers here including the excellent & good value red from Yecla. Meanwhile our Rioja makers continue to maintain their usual high standard.

 

Rioja

We continue to list Rioja from three producers – Urbina (very traditional), Viña Salceda (half-way between traditional & modern) and Marques de Vargas (thoroughly modern) – and they make an interesting contrast.

2001	Rioja Crianza, Viña Salceda	bottle	£9.50
	Benchmark Rioja.
1998	Rioja Reserva, Viña Salceda	bottle	£13.95
	Mellow with great oak integration.	magnum	£28.50
1996	Rioja Reserva Especial, Urbina	bottle	£14.50
	Soft, mature, tobacco and Christmas cake fruit character.
1994	Gran Reserva Especial, Urbina	bottle	£19.90
2000	Rioja Reserva, Marques de Vargas	bottle	£17.50
	More opulent fruit-driven style with marked smoky oak character. Great stuff.
2000	Rioja Reserva Privada, Marques de Vargas	bottle	£37.50
2000	Rioja R eserva Hacienda Pradolagar, Marques de Vargas	bottle	£79.00
	The Reserva Privada & Hacienda Pradolagar are fuller-bodied with bigger tannins and more fruit concentration. Both would repay keeping 3-5 years. While the Privada is a top selection from the whole estate, the Pradolagar is from vineyards surrounding the Hacienda.

 

Red Wine Rosé Wine White Wine [O] – Organic [B] - Biodynamic 

La Mancha – Almansa & Yecla

Two contrasting styles here. The Castillo de Almansa might be described as “Rioja-esque” while the Yecla is a much more modern fruit-driven style.

2001	Castillo de Almansa Reserva, Almansa	bottle	£6.75
	Probably our best-selling everyday red. special case price	12x75cl	£72.00
2003	Valle de Salinas Semi-Crianza, Yecla	bottle	£6.99
	This has benefited from just 6 months in oak. special case price	12x75cl	£79.00

 

Ribero del Duero

The Ribero del Duero was the fashionable wine region a few years ago but now seems to have gone out of favour. That notwithstanding the wine from Zarus is highly recommended.

2001	Zarus Crianza, Ribera del Duero	bottle	£12.50
	Big spicy & oaky.

 

Priorat

Priorat, like Ribero del Duero above, attracted great attention from wine-writers a few years ago. Many of the wines turned out to have monster tannins and little else behind them. These two, on the other hand, have plenty of balance and show that the region is worthy of note.

2002	Embruix Vall de Llach, Priorat	bottle	£16.75
2000	Mas d’en Compte Crianza, Priorat	bottle	£24.50
	Big & powerful but well-balanced too

 

Galicia – Rias Baixas

Vinhos Verdes have a reputation for being sharp & tasteless tourist wines. They can be very serious indeed...

2004	Laxas Albarino, Rias Baixas	bottle	£9.99
	Lovely citric and tropical fruit character in this dry white. Great outdoor wine.

 

Rueda

Rueda was first put on the map by Rioja’s Marques de Riscal as a source of good whites. Now there are may other good producers…

2004	Viña Cascarela, Rueda	bottle	£7.25
	Fruity & aromatic white made from Verdejo.
2004	Senorio de Albar, Rueda Superior	bottle	£7.75
	A little fuller and more mineral in character than the Cascarela.

 

Red Wine Rosé Wine White Wine [O] – Organic [B] - Biodynamic