We are now in nice Spring 2023, its time to tell you once again on the wines of my dear Spain, As said, this goes back from my beginnings ,and I still go for them everywhere, Therefore, will try the monumental task of telling you about my favorites anecdotes and news of Spanish wines and hope to continue this series as my others with your blessing and likes. Here it is ,again coming back at you my wines news of Spain XIII!! Of course post No 13 or the non Romans, Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The estimate of national wine consumption as of March 2023 falls by 9% compared to the same month of 2022, standing at 9.58 million hectoliters. according to the Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organization. Wine production slightly increased 1.5% to 35.9 million hectoliters, With data from the State Tax Administration Agency as of February 2023, Spanish wine exports set a new record with 2,990.5 million euros in the interannual period. The drop in volume (9.4%) was maintained during those twelve months to 20.7 million hectoliters. The trend here as in France drink less but better quality,
The new mandatory labels for wines will show a list of ingredients and nutrients from December 8, 2023. These regulations, designed to provide a higher level of information to consumers, will require that all wine labels include nutritional information and a complete list of ingredients. This an European Union directive which of course will create higher costs on the bottle for the consumer, but what do they know !!
The Volcanic wines are erupting. They live one of their best moments since the 15C !!!, when, for the first time, they became fashionable and from the Canary Islands they spread throughout the rest of the world. In Spain, this archipelago is the only volcanic terroir in which old soil layers alternate with much younger ones, subjected to strong erosion, with plantations from sea level to almost 1,700 meters above sea level, and diverse climates. The most cultivated grapes in the archipelago are black and white listán, black and white vijariego, volcanic white malvasia, and negra moll (red). However, there are several dozen more. There are studies that put them at more than 80: Some 40 do not exist anywhere else on Earth; They only survive here. The vines arrived in the Canary Islands about 500 years ago by the hand of European settlers. French, Majorcan, Castilian, Portuguese… They all brought different branches. A couple of centuries later, around 1870, a phylloxera plague devastated the vineyards of Europe. The insect never reached the Canary Islands, There are 11 designations of origin on the islands: Tenerife has five (Ycoden Daute Isora, La Orotava, Tacoronte-Acentejo, Valle de Güímar and Abona), while Lanzarote, La Palma, Gran Canaria, La Gomera and El Hierro each hold their own. The most recent is the D.O. Islas Canarias, launched in 2011 by AVIBO. The Bodega El Grifo, in Lanzarote, is the oldest winery in the archipelago. It has been making wine uninterruptedly since 1775, and since its foundation, three families have held its property; the current branch, since the end of the 19C, with global fame ,gold medals in Brussels included, they produce 350,000 bottles a year in their 60 hectares of vineyards, in addition to the grapes of 150 viticulturists who produce for them. The Associacion de Viticultores y Bodegueros de Canarias (AVIBO) webpage: https://www.canarywine.com/en/home/
The Ruta del Vino de Ribera del Duero Wine Route breaks Record with a 43% Increase in Visits, Wineries remain the main focus of attraction for visitors, with 74% of visits. Of the total number of visitors, 92% were national, and 8% foreigners, Typical of this still uncover area, In economic terms, the average cost of wine tourism visits to the Ruta del Vino is less than 15 euros, while the average cost in the winery stores reaches 74 euros. On the other hand, the wine museums also registered an increase in visits, exceeding the figures of the previous year by more than 7%. Currently, the Ribera del Duero Wine Route has 227 associates, making it the route with the greatest offer of services of the Wine Routes of Spain Product Club. This Route crosses the four provinces of Castilla y León that make up the Denomination of Origin of the same name : Burgos, Segovia, Soria and Valladolid. Webpage : https://www.rutadelvinoriberadelduero.es/en
The Chivite Las Fincas Rosado 2022 wine, a commitment to regularity, the presence of red berries and other fruit aromas is clearly appreciated. They are accompanied by delicate floral notes and hints of the skin of some citrus fruits. Its flavor reveals the presence that light contact with the skin of red grapes leaves and its structure, stylized, elegant and with nerve, places it in a world apart. Just by looking at his cape, which is close to but not quite pale pink, one discovers the identity of this almost blanc de noirs (white from red varieties). It is a Provençal-style rosé made with some of the best Spanish viineyards. A friendly, striking, suggestive and very gastronomic wine that, vintage after vintage, exceeds its commitment to regularity. Bodega/Winery: J. Chivite Family Estates Garnacha (80%) and Tempranillo (20%) webpage info : http://chivite.com/en/wines/las-fincas-range
In the heart of La Mancha, the 1,000 hectares of this corner emerge splendidly, where a mountain brimming with life and a vineyard coexist in perfect balance. A beautiful example of cooperation between nature and human beings that encourages us to be optimistic. Finca Antigua, located in the town of Los Hinojosos (Cuenca province), Sautéed between the imposing mountain at more than 900 meters of altitude, the 420 hectares of vineyards spread over 40 plots are integrated. Following this idea that the viticultural activity should be integrated into the environment, the Martínez Bujanda Family has worked with conviction so that from the 2022 vintage all the wines produced bear the organic seal on the label. It is worth highlighting the Finca Antigua Viura on Lías for its expression, volume and finesse, capable of evolving over time with surprising results, achieving different profiles and very respectful of the grape: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot are the six bottled wines under this category, in addition to the Crianza Único, which is made with a mixture of varieties just like the Reserva. But the true jewel in the crown is found in Clavis, a truly unique wine made from a single plot that is home to a fascinating variety of grapes, whose blend crystallizes in the vineyard itself. The obligatory panoramic view of the estate from the viewpoint will give us an idea of the immensity of the environment and how the correct judgment of the human being has shown that nature and wine not only complement each other, but that there is a mutual enrichment , This year marks the 20th years of the inauguration of the winery, located in one of the highest points of the farm, from where its unique environment can be observed and from where the qualities of each variety are interpreted with the best possible criteria. Finca Antigua Ctra. Quintanar- Los Hinojosos km 11.5. 16417 Los Hinojosos (Cuenca) webpage: https://www.fincaantigua.com/en/home/
They say that when Teobaldo I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne, arrived in Olite, he did so with roses, fruit trees and vineyards. Surely, that vineyard was small grain muscatel, a variety that the troubadour king, famous for his music and poetry, had brought back from his first crusade from the Mediterranean. Teobaldo’s intention at that time seems to be that it was not so much to distribute coins but food that was the true wealth. The rose, a very particular variety from Provins (yes wonderful Rose of Provins Seine et Marne 77 France), was edible and, together with the fruit trees and the vine, began to be known as the “king’s gift”. Muscatel, a grape that is not very productive and sensitive to diseases such as mildew or the cluster moth, was not exactly very popular with winegrowers , At the Navarra viticulture and oenology station, for which Javier Ochoa was responsible for a decade since its founding in 1981. The story goes that years later, Robert de Niro would enter the Zalacaín restaurant in Madrid and try Ochoa Moscatel for the first time. The prestigious American actor left there with some box and the distributor’s contact for his restaurant in New York !! The winery located in Traibuenas at thegates of the Bardenas, the family owns 25 hectares of this variety, approximately 20% of the total of the entire DO Navarra. In the midst of a dry climate, with increasingly extreme summers but in a well-ventilated area, the clusters of this vine overripe really well. Ecological care has also promoted in-depth knowledge about the behavior of the variety and soil management, in addition to promoting a landscape in which vines, flowers and native fauna such as kestrels, partridges, hoopoes or hares are mixed. You can love a wine, a vineyard and a variety, that is what happens to them with their muscatel. The MdO was an idea that blossomed in the mind of Adriana Ochoa, the young winemaker on a trip to Italy. She returned home and thought that it was possible to make a selection of grapes for that style of wine. The muscatel, in addition to having different phases in its maturation, does not behave in the same way throughout the vineyard. In cooler areas the profile of the grape is more delicate, it has higher acidity and more citric fruit, perfect for a moscato. Webpage Bodega Ochoa :https://bodegasochoa.com/nuestros-vinos/
The new Domecq’s ! Santiago and Tomás León Domecq sign with their family name a project that is not exactly new, but which is now bringing its very old wines to the public for the first time. In very limited editions, yes, because the total production of Bodegas León Domecq does not exceed 30,000 bottles. Its soleras are supplied from 14 hectares in the “La Compañía” vineyard, attached to the Finca El Majuelo in Pago Macharnudo, a true historic Grand Cru of Jerez, wineries that produce and breed wines but do not put them directly on the market but supply the big brands in the area. The soleras of Bodegas Vides enjoyed great prestige, although they did not have visibility until Lustau, a pioneer in so many things, included his palo cortado in his “Almacenista Collection” of wine artisans. Bodegas Miguel Domecq, such as Entrechuelos, and the generous ones from the Cooperativa Vinícola de Trebujena, in addition to the personal project with which he signs wines such as Meridiano Perdido from old vines on albariza soils. The starting point is a very biological fino en rama that would fully fit into that style called “fine amontillado”, with an average aging of 11 years, followed by an amontillado with eight years of aging under flor veil and 12 oxidative. and a stick cut with two years of biological and 18 more without a veil on the boots. Oloroso is the jewel in the crown since it is over 40 years old and serves as the basis for the range of “cabeceos” -medium, cream- with a PX with two decades of history behind it and more than 400 grams of sugar per liter. The range is rounded off with a vermouth that is drier and more balsamic than others from the Jerez school, very spicy, and for what they describe as “the best Gran Reserva Sherry Vinegar in the world” and which has more than 75 years of solera. The winery building on Calle Justicia, in the Barrio de San Mateo, was completely renovated in 2021, respecting its historical value and its foundational elements. It is one of the last intramural Jerez wineries and where grandfather Tomás, Pedro Domecq’s brother, settled to start the family business in 1850. Webpage : https://bodegasleondomecq.com/
The Guia de Vinos Gourmets or Gourmet Wine Guide 2023 at the Madrid Gourmet Fair was the venue chosen by the Gourmet Wine Guide to present its latest guide, which is the 38th in its history of dissemination and cataloging of the best wines in Spain , Its my bible, still have the year 2000 edition !!! ,webpage: https://www.gourmets.net/guia-vinos-gourmets
Some interesting history with great care of the impact of the railroad in the wine world of Spain, Interesting me think,
The historical relationship between the train and wine has a lot of romanticism, but also change, progress, revolution. In Spain, since the mid-19C, the railway not only drew the physiognomy of cities such as Haro, Jerez de la Frontera or the towns of Cariñena, leaving endless black and white film images, but also brought large wagons technological advances such as electric lighting to Jerez with a long relationship with the railway. The railway line that linked the city with the shipping ports of El Puerto and Trocadero was the first to be created in Andalusia, in 1854. Later, in 1872, the so-called wine train was put into operation, an urban line that ran through all the main wineries of Jerez to load the merchandise in their own facilities and then connect with the Jerez-Trocadero line, The urban layout of that wine train and the machine itself, which was how the railway that ran through the city was affectionately known, worked like the arteries of Jerez for almost a century, from 1872 to 1962, being a fundamental piece of the export machinery of the Jerez wineries. There is a beautiful tribute to this past in the González Byass winery, whose facilities are a small city within the city ,The house of the famous Tío Pepe is made up of an urban network of buildings, wineries and interior streets, which visitors can partly tour on board a little train that recalls and pays homage to the old Jerez machine. González Byass was precisely the winery that promoted the railway project in Jerez, participating in its financing through the purchase of shares, Webpage on the train : https://www.gonzalezbyass.com/noticias/sostenibilidad/un-tren-turistico-100-electrico-para-descubrir-la-magia-de-gonzalez-byass
To talk about the importance that the steam railway had in La Rioja, specifically in Haro, until it gave its name and fame to the popular Barrio de la Estación, we have to go to France, a little before the phylloxera attack that would devastate European vineyards. Mid-19C. The owners of the Savignon Frères wine company, originally from Bordeaux, decided to settle on the other side of the border in search of better conditions to continue their activity as a result of the great powdery mildew crisis that their vineyards were suffering. We are referring to the fungus that affected the French vineyard before the arrival of the phylloxera plague. Thus, in 1859, they settled on the land known as Cantarranas, a neighbor of the Rioja town of Haro, laying the foundations for wine production in what would later be known as the Barrio de la Estación. However, this area ceased to be a strategic investment for Bordeaux entrepreneurs when, at the dawn of the 20C, the phylloxera crisis came to an end and the French vineyard began to recover. With one foot in the new century, the French company put its facilities up for sale, And they have been in the hands of Bodegas Bilbaínas since 1901. In fact, in addition to locating its wineries in Haro, Valdepeñas and Alcázar de San Juan next to the railways, Bodegas Bilbaínas commissioned the design of specific machinery to facilitate the transfer of wine by this means. All told in the book La estación de los sueños, edited by Bodegas Bilbaínas on the occasion of the commemoration of the 120th anniversary of its foundation, Webpage info on book : https://www.15bodegas.com/es_en/book-la-estacion-de-los-suenos-bodegas-bilbainas
In Aragon, wine was traditionally transported by cart; With them, the muleteers distributed the product both inside the region and in other Spanish provinces, even reaching Madrid. The containers used at that time were leather boots. When phylloxera devastated the French vineyards, wine exports from the area to France experienced a spectacular increase, and if at first the transport continued to be done by cart, soon the great demand it required new means of transport , From the region the wine began to be taken in carts to Ricla or Zaragoza, and there it was embarked on the railway. The wine container had become the wooden pipe, more in line with the needs of the new times. In 1887 the narrow-gauge Cariñena-Zaragoza railway came into operation. The opportunities for export offered by the railway were countless. It allowed the wine to reach the French market more easily, after linking up with the Zaragoza-Alsasua-Irún network. The Zaragoza-Valencia railway, which crossed the regional vineyard, allowed shipments to the French or Basque market directly from Cariñena, The book El tren del vino’, written by Marco Antonio Campos and Mariano Rodríguez tells the story, with the publishing help of the La Asociación de Amigos del Ferrocarril de Cariñena or association of friends of the railroad of Cari±era the book can obtained by contacting the Librería La Arboleda of Cariñera Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/people/La-Arboleda-Librer%C3%ADa-Papeler%C3%ADa/100057154492034/
Currently, the wine is transported fully palletized and in truck containers, ensuring rapid and correct distribution to the destination markets.
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, An area already shining for several years, and getting better me think, Hope you enjoy the new series of wines news of Spain XIII as I
And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 