Its time again to tell you on the wines of my dear Spain, As said, this goes back from my beginnings ,and I still go for them everywhere, I have taken again on the series and coming back at you with my wines news of Spain XXI . Of course post No 21 for the non Romans, Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Jerez wines lovers (and me!) have a new recreation courtyard in the Chamberí neighborhood. The founders( of La Deseado (the desired one) have launched this Glop Wine Bar , Even start in the field of natural. If hunger enters us, there is plenty to eat here too. Calle Fernando the Catholic, 6. No web,
From the neighborhood of Las Letras (one of my favorites) ,and with a busy terrace at the foot of this historic center, the La Escalera del Vino (wine ladder) encourages its clients to enjoy homemade cuisine in all its forms. An honest invitation to taste the Mediterranean recipe book in an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere, which is completed with a more than interesting wines by the glass (many of them high -end served with Coravin) that do not stop to rotate. The perfect place to impress and be impress. Calle Lope de Vega, 20. webpage : https://laescaleradelvino.eatbu.com/?lang=en
Some nice wines from my Canary Islands !!! Rosado de Làgrima 2023 ( Pink of tear) ,Bodega El Grifo, The most delicate and expressive pink of the Lanzarote winery The tap is made from the native variety of black list. whose name comes from the first “tears” that are drained during the pressing. The precious result of a must with little maceration, in the Provencal style, which maintains all its freshness after a careful winemaking process. And Barlia Rosé 2023 also from the Canary Islands, this pink with orchid name intends to bring some island heat to the cold peninsular winter. This is the bet of Barlia Wines to rescue vineyards at 1,000 meters high in volcanic terrain, in a place where the black rock remembers the last eruption that took place in Tenerife. A pink elaborated with the Black Listan of Santiago del Teide, which makes a wink to the past and the traditions of the island by rescuing and updating the Canarian claret.
Pérez Barquero G1 Brut Nature , The first foamy of Pérez Barquero, prepared with grape Pedro Ximénez of the Sierra de Montilla. An exceptional rarity and a technological challenge that was born from the collaboration of this centennial winery with the Vitenol Research Group of the University of Córdoba, who achieved a second fermentation in the bottle with an native yeast of Flor Velo, isolated for the first time in the 80s and baptized as G1. A unique, genuine and very different foamy, who gives everything he promises: fine bubble, aromatic purity and balance in the mouth. Webpage : https://perezbarquero.com/vinos/brut-nature-g1-en
More than two decades ago that the meeting between two brilliant figures, Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda, thanks to which the project called Equipo Navazos (team Navazos) was born, Barquín, is a professor of criminal law and criminology at the University of Granada, while Ojeda, Chemist and winemaker, is the technical director of Valdespino. Together they set out to give way to soleras and special barrels, sometimes forgotten, which otherwise would not see the light. It is always a very limited number of bottles, which led to a short time in the object of desire of all wine lovers. The La Bota de Fino 124 is a fine of Pedro Ximénez (grape) with an amontillar character. It comes from the oldest hearth of one of the reference wineries, Pérez Barquero, in this third edition, have chosen those barrels that most clearly exhibit that fine aged character, with an estimated average age around 15 years and a graduation alcoholic of 16.5%. This is part of the DO. Montilla-Moriles, A fine amontillado by the book, with the elegance of the Cordoba Albarizas and the roundness of Pedro Ximénez. A deep fine raising, in which caramel notes and nuts begin to emerge as corresponds to the traditional category, today suppressed in the labels, but not in the reality of the wineries, « Fino Amontillado ». Elegant and complex, very persistent and versatile on the table. It comes from the most prestigious vineyards of Albariza of the Sierra de Montilla and Los Altos de Moriles. Webpage : https://www.equiponavazos.com/en/home/
In 1883, De Müller, a Reus winery received the ecclesiastical certificate of liturgical purity, thus winning the right to be the first in the world to achieve the title of Pontifical Suppliers of the Holy See, As we know ,the first tests of the elaboration of the wine place it some millennia before Christ, but the religious use of wine was a reason for its rapid expansion and also its survival. The barbarism that shook Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire put at risk the cultivation of the vine, whose protection by the Church, which needed wine for its celebration, was key, concentrating it around monasteries, churches and convents. That fruit made to taste, enjoyment and need for its creed, followed a series of parameters that are collected in the Council of Florence of 1438 and in other subsequent religious texts. Then, the norms establish that it must be the result of the mature or passing grapes and without artificial additions such as preservatives, dyes, sugars, clarifying or juices. On the other hand, it is allowed to add sulphites such as antioxidants or wine distillate to increase alcohol content, which should not exceed 18º , The aged notes and the sweet touch of confined fruits, jams and raisins mark the taste of this amber liquid from which about one million liters a year is sold, it can also be purchased at the Cathedral of Tarragona, one of the few cathedrals in Spain where wine is sold. It is minutes from the center of Reus (Tarragona), Mas de Valls extends in an oasis of vineyards chaired by an ancient Catalan farmhouse of the 15C and large warehouses. There is the winery De Müller, It was Don Augusto de Müller Ruinart de Brimont, belonging to an important winemaking family of Alsace, left his native France in search of an area where the phylloxera plague would not have made his own. Thus he founded in 1851 in Tarragona the warehouse that would take his last name. His Mass wine was served in the calices of the country that consumed more liters from the papacy of Pius X to that of John XXIII. But in the Second Vatican Council, in 1959, they decided to abolish the positions of official suppliers, both of wine and togas, candles and others, The wine of Mass de Müller is sold for churches from countries in the middle world still today. Webpage : https://demuller.es/en/home/
Cultivated in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula since the Roman era, the Mencía grape has gained recognition thanks to the prestige of some of its wines, particularly Villa de Corullón, soon they were incorporated prestigious companies of other wine regions, such as Ribera del Duero and Rioja, to join the trend. This is the case of Emilio Moro or Bodega Riojanas wineries. Or they arrive from other areas, such as Galician Terras Gauda and Martín Códax. Today Bierzo is a denomination of consolidated origin and in continuous growth. Among the areas where the Mencía variety is cultivated and elaborated are emerging areas and consecrated areas they include Ribeiro, Monterrei, Valdeorras, Cangas (Asturias), or Liébana Valley (Cantabria); Ribeira Sacra stands out, authentic reservoir of old strains clinging to the earth in vertigo rates that upholster the vegetation of the Miño valleys and its tributaries Sil,Cabe and Bibai rivers , Part of the Jacobean route, has beautiful wine cities , like Villafranca del Bierzo, the small Compostela; or the noble town of Corullón, lying on the mountain.
Some examples of this upcoming wine area of my Spain are !
The best example is Ultreia Saint Jacques, from vineyards with more than 50 years planted in Valtuille, Fermentation is done in wooden tubs with the scrape, maintaining maceration for about five months. Subsequently, it has a one -year oak barrel raising. Fragrant aroma, with abundant half -sided red and black fruit, floral notes, balsamics, leaf litter, with the elegant and subtle presence of spices. Mouth enveloping, fresh and fruit, of long persistence. Webpage : https://www.raulperez.com/
Vinos Valtuille one of the wines with the best value for money of Bierzo. It comes from vineyards of the El Volao farm with 90 years of age. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel deposits with subsequent eight -month breeding in used barrels of French oak. Example of the expressiveness of old Mencias, with its aroma to red fruits and slightly composed wild berries, and enriched by floral notes next to fresh balsamic nuances, with elegant notes of spices, roasted and memories of licorice. Tasty, persistent, mouth fleshy, and solid structure. Webpage : https://www.vinosvaltuille.com/
Pétalos del Bierzo 2021is the most affordable proposal of the winery. Prepared with old vineyards from various municipalities, mainly Corullón and Villafranca del Bierzo, located between 450 and 1,100 meters high. He has fermented in wood and stainless tubs, with nine months breeding in barrels and mouths. Expressive and rich fruits (cherry, curling, raspberry, plums), floral perfumes (violet), balsamics, spices and graphite (terroir). Boca velvety, concentrated and fresh flavor, transcurre with a firm and deep but graceful step, to end in a long and final fruity. Webpage : http://alvaropalacios.com/
A ghost overlaps for months the denomination of qualified origin (DOCa Rioja) To start vineyards avoid excess production and collapse. The Burgundy region of France has already done and it was a matter of time to end up exploding in the reference wines in Spain. The Family Wineries Association has put the proposal on the table. The idea of the entity is as follows: Delete 6,700 hectares, 10% of the total area, in exchange for a subsidy. It is an extreme measure that has never been taken in La Rioja and to which other key actors disagree. The fundamental, the Grupo Rioja, an entity that groups some sixty wineries, including large firms, responsible for 80% of the brand’s marketing value.The above association has decided to leave the DOCa Rioja designation over this dispute which is heated, To be continue,,,,
The IX Salon del Vino ABC reunites the core to the main wineries of Spain ,The presentation in the primal of the Guia de Vinos 2024 (wine guide) made in the commercial center ABC Serrano, in Madrid ,The best tintos or reds best valued in the Wine Guide of 2024 are : Gran Reserva 890 (La Rioja Alta Rioja doca ), Abeica El Bardallo, (Bodegas Abeica Rioja doca) Unico 2014 (Bodega Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero), Prado Enea Gran Reserva, (Bodega Muga Rioja), Mas de la Rosa Gran Vinya Classificada (Bodega Celler Vall Llach: D.O.Q. Priorat); Castillo Ygay (Bodega Marques de Murrieta); Camino de Ribas (Bodegas Jose Gil Rioja Doca).
Azotea Cibeles and Cornamusa are the two new gastronomic spaces that have just opened from the hand of a group in the spectacular sixth floor of the Cibeles Palace. This is the huge scourge of more than 400 square meters on the sixth floor of the Cibeles Palace, headquarters of the City Council of Madrid today, which had been closed since May 2023. There it has just been installed Azotea Cibeles (roof of cibeles), a new space with Incredible views and with an leisure offer around author cocktails and selected distillates that, in addition, can be accompanied with small dishes of recipes mostly to share. At the same time two other spaces opens: the Cornamusa restaurant, also on the sixth floor and with a huge terrace, and Café Cibeles, on the second floor. The experience, with an average price of between 60 and 70 euros, can be enjoyed both in the inner dining room (with capacity for 60 diners), as in its spectacular terrace with views (for 65 diners). It is essential to reserve. For its part, the capacity for Azotea Cibeles is 180 people, while for Café Cibeles, where it can be taken from a breakfast to a snack, day or snack menu, thanks to its All Day concept, there is space for 110 diners. Azotea Grupo, which already has other success rooftop in unique buildings of the city such as the Azotea del Círculo de Bellas, Picalagartos Sky Bar & Restaurant or the Club Financiero Génova, Great places to be I have fyi Webpage : https://azoteacibeles.com/
Mayser, the restaurant outside the M-30 beltway with 110 wine references to which customers from all over Madrid pilgrimage in my old Quintana neighborhood (used to lived here in the early 70’s), The owner Sergio Bayón who decided to put the name of the bar-cafeteria to the business that his parents ruled for 40 years, Not far from here, on Calle Hermanos García Noblejas. The wine menu, of which 30 are sold by the glass and with their selection they want to “get people out of their comfort zone”, betting, for example, for wines from Uclés, Jumilla or Mallorca. In total they have about 50 cheese references among nationals approximately 70% , and international, offered in personalized tables, Mayser , Calle de Sambara 95 , Webpage : https://www.restaurantemayser.com/
Finally, a sad news as read about it and eventually met her in Madrid several years back, I am still a avid followers of the Guia Campsa and later Repsol wines guides and book adorns my library at home proudly, May she rest in peace and condolences for her family,
The wine universe cries the death of his great lady. María Isabel Mijares García-Pelayo (81 years) first winemaker in Spain and absolute reference of this sector, died in Madrid, as reported by the Real Academia de Gastronomía (Royal Academy of Gastronomy), to which she belonged as an academic. She had a Chemistry and Sensory analysis diploma,and was a pioneer in a world then mostly male but her brilliance, knowledge and enormous communication and sympathy capacity catapulted her to become a reference in the industry in Spain for decades. Her relationship with the wine began as a child because her paternal family, of Leonese origin (Léon), had a homemade winery where wine was made that was not sold, was for personal consumption. Recognized in 2017 as a favorite daughter of her hometown, Mérida, While at the end of an Oenology and Superior Wine Tasting diploma she met a key character in her life, Émile Peynaud (father of modern oenology), her mentor and teacher with a completely different character from her, much less open that he definitely opened the window to meet secrets for loving the wine throughout her life. When she finished her degree in Chemistry in Madrid obtained in 1967 a scholarship from the French government to study Enology at the Institute of Enology of the University of Bordeaux, In 1970, with a scholarship of the Juan March Foundation, she attended her doctorate in oenology at the Bordeaux Institute of Oenology and obtained the Diploma of Advanced Studies. The first winemaker in Spain and the first woman to preside over a regulatory council, that of the Denomination of Origin wine from Valdepeñas. After creating her own advice company, she was in charge of the Team , which annually prepares the Repsol Guide of Wines and was coordinator and director of the Campa Guide of the best wines in Spain (later Repsol Guide), since 1998 until 2019. Before, since 2017, she was a technical director of the wine activities of the Real Casino of Madrid, where she organized wine gatherings and technical days.RIP
There you go folks, another wonderful post on my dear Spanish wines, Hoping for a long lasting memories of my dear Spain and its wine news, Again,hope you enjoy the series of wines news of Spain as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 