Go, Graciano!

Another eye-opening experience in Wine Armada's quest to explore the many regions and grapes of Spain. While we are so familiar with Rioja, we had the good fortune to try a rare, single-bottling of one of the varietals used to produce the classic red blend.  2011 Rio Madre Rioja is 100% Graciano and 110% delicious! Huge flavors of blueberry, black raspberry and a savory, smoky, acidic finish leaped from the glass and made us wonder why we don't see more wine made of this grape being imported. Even better, this Wine Advocate 91 pointer can be yours for under $10.

Wintery Weekend Wines

The Verdejos of Rueda are among the most consistent white wine values available and Lo Nuevo Lunares Verdejo 2011 is no different. This bottling has the signature white peach, pineapple and honeysuckle flavors, but has an extra charge of acidity that makes it sizzle. Should be delicious with anything from the sea.

La Cartuja Priorat 2011 has quite a pedigree, scoring 93 pts. from Robert Parker, so expectations were high. While it delivered some of the black cherry, blueberry and mineral flavors from the Garnacha/Carinena blend, we considered it an overall lighter style than the rustic, boldness that typify Priorat wines. Easy drinking, uncomplicated and a great match with red meat or pasta in a rich tomato sauce.

A Wine for the Ages

Looking for something to celebrate a special occasion? López de Heredia Rioja Viña Gravonia Crianza Blanco 2003 is one of the greatest white wines we have ever tasted. Unlike anything else we've tried, the amazing combination of orange peel, green tea, almonds with ginger notes in the background sail on and on in the lengthy finish. Hard to believe the freshness of this 11-year old beauty, but the classic winemakers from this legendary Rioja producer take barrel-aged Viura to new heights. May take some searching, but definitely worth the reward of enjoying this memorable wine.

Organic Ossium

Spain has another answer for those seeking certified organic wine. The 2010 Ossium hails from Utiel-Requena (an obscure region we're now seeing a lot more wine being imported) in the southeastern part of the country. This 100% Tempranillo has the familiar raspberry, cherry flavors, but after breathing for a couple of hours came unique notes of strawberry, rhubarb with some balsamic on the finish. Easy-drinking, food-friendly and completely affordable for less than $10.

A Fried Chicken Revelation

With our usual Fried Chicken go-to-wine (Chardonnay) in short supply, we had to explore another pairing option. A bottle of Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava caught our eye and we thought "what the heck." Fried foods and sparkling wine are a natural combination, so this highly rated, wallet-friendly Spanish bubbly was more than up for the task. The traditional blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes delivered delicious flavors of green apple, pear with light citrus notes on the clean, toasty finish. This tasted just right after a bite of crispy chicken, putting everything in balance and bringing you back for more. Hard to believe you can get something with an 88 point rating from Wine & Spirits for only $8! But for followers of Wine Armada, just another example of the great values imported from Spain.

Falling for Spanish Reds

With cooler weather already upon us, we join the rest of the wine world in transitioning from our refreshing summer whites to more hearty autumn reds. Here are some quick takes on three Spanish gems, we recently tasted, that will get you through this change of seasons:


Anciano Reserva Tempranillo 2005
From the rarely seen Valdepenas region in south central Spain, this mellow red was aged 5 years in barrel, and bottle, before release. Earthy aromas, with a touch of spice, leads to mouthful of black fruit on a long, complex finish typifying classic Tempranillo. 87 pts. from Wine Enthusiast and under $12.


Barahonda Nabucco 2010
An estate-bottled beauty from the oldest continuous wine family, in one of the country's oldest wine regions (Yecla), in the warmth of southeastern Spain. A delicious red blend of Monastrell, and Syrah, tasted of fig, blackberries and black cherry with some licorice on the finish. This Wine Advocate 88 pointer can be had for less than $15.


Alto Cinco Garnacha 2011
Alto Cinco means “high five” in Spanish, with “high” referring to the vineyard elevation (Alto) and “five” to their five vineyards in Cariñena of northern Spain. A lighter style Garnacha, aged 6 months in French and American oak has red cherry on the nose and palate, with some blueberry and a sweet spiciness on a lengthy, clean finish.

Enjoying this time of year and all the new wines being offered? Let us know what you've discovered, or some of your old favorites releasing their latest vintages, with a reply to this blog, the Wine Armada Facebook page, Twitter feed or email winearmada@gmail.com.

Salud!

 

A Visit From Gil Family Estates

No one epitomizes Spanish wine quality and value better than Gil Family Estates. Their ever-growing portfolio covers a wide range from simple quaffers to the mind-blowing El Nido red blend. So it was without hesitation the Wine Armada sailed into Sasha's on Shaw, in South St. Louis, to meet winery reps Loren Gil and Jordi Flos, then sample their latest offerings paired with some culinary treats. Under the twilight sky on the outdoor patio, we tasted these fine examples of some of Spain's best:

Arindo Rueda Verdejo 2012
From the remote Rueda region, this light, crisp Verdejo was a perfect start to the evening. A little drier than the 2011 vintage, this 2012 seemed more balanced with it's pear and pineapple notes and mouthwatering acidity on the clean finish. It was crazy-good when paired with a banana nut muffin drizzled in a Verdejo reduction - a brilliant inspiration from the chef.

Bodegas Tridente Mencia 2010
The influx of high-quality Mencia has been staggering over the past 1-2 years. The 2010 Tridente Mencia is no exception. From a vineyard just outside Bierzo, Mencia's homeland, the 6 months in French oak added aromas of spice and dark fruit. Black raspberry, cassis and cola flavors glided across the palate on a lengthy finish that keeps you coming back for more. 90 points from Wine Advocate and under $15 makes this one a keeper.

Bodegas Atteca Old Vine Garnacha 2011
This 100% garnacha has been a long-time "go to" big red in the Wine Armada cellars. Aged for ten months in French oak and full of crowd-pleasing dark berry, licorice and fig flavors. Incredibly long finish for the money (under $15!) ending with a spicy note.

La Atalaya 2010
We finished with this easy-drinking Garnacha/Monastrell blend. 12 months in French oak adds just the right amount of blackberry and cigar box aromas, with the addition of blueberry and plum on the palate.  Perfect balance, combined with good acidity, that ends with slightly savory finish, makes this an all-around universal food wine. Wine Advocate agrees with a 91 pt. rating for this terrific value costing less than $15.

Many thanks to the Gil Family, Sasha's on Shaw, Pinnacle Imports, Amy Simpson and her Wine Cru for hosting this special event. Hope to see you all again, very soon!

Salud!