Martin Codax, Rioja DOC, ERGO, Tempranillo 2006 The Martin Codax brand has developed a solid reputation on in the northwester portion of the country in Galicia. With this wine from the Rioja, the brand is throwing its equity behind Spain’s most recognized wine region. The smell is a pretty combo of cedar and vanilla. The [...]

read more from this topic.....

Bodegas Martin Códax, Rias Baixas DO, Albariño 2007 In the nose there is a mix of herbaceous, green bean aromas and citrus fruits. The mouth shows the acidity and citrus that we associate with Albarino, albeit in a softer profile. Behind the scenes this might be explained by the 20% ML and 4 months of [...]

read more from this topic.....

Bodegas Borsao, Campo de Borja DO 2006 There’s cherry fruit and a sense of cherry pie leaping out of the glass. The mouth is full of juicy fruit in a a light-bodied, easy to drink format. This is certainly the last of the ‘06 as the ‘07 is on the market. The good news is [...]

read more from this topic.....

Fâmega Vinho Verde Denominação de Origem Controlada Vinho Branco 2007 This is a personal favorite for lean white wine on a budget. There’s citrus in the nose and the petillance is quite palpable on this date, adding to the livliness.
Notes on the ‘06: Lean and green and pétillant – a great value example; petillance [...]

read more from this topic.....

Bodegas Alto Moncayo, Campo De Borja DO 2005 The previous vintage was like what it would be like to drink candy - supple and rich, sweet-appearing as well. The ‘06 is even more so with tons of oak on top. This is 100% Garnacha aged in new French and US oak. Don’t let the alcohol [...]

read more from this topic.....

Marques de Caceres, Rioja, Reserva DOC 2000 The house style is soft and oaky with an appropriate acidic frame. The 2000 at this stage, 8 years on smells delightful; there’s sweet vanilla, earth and some stewed, evolving fruit and veg. The acid shows nicely, the tannins are subtle and there are long flavors of cocoa [...]

read more from this topic.....

Cristalino, Cava, Extra Dry nv This wine isn’t amazing but it has a hint of RS, it truly is methode champenoise and it’s cheap. The grapes are Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo, traditionally grown in the Penedes for Cava. Produced by Jaume Serra in Vilanova i la Geltru, just south of Barcelona 11.5% $6.29 at Bottle [...]

read more from this topic.....

Abadia Retuerta Sardón de Duero Seleccion Especial 2004
Herbaceous notes like in Cab Franc in the nose. The mouth is full-bodied balancing acid and ripe tannins with an oaky backcurrent. The current vintage is 75% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet and 5% Merlot. P&B Sardon de Duero in Vallladolid 14% $21.99 Abadia Retuerta
De La Montanya Sonoma Coast [...]

read more from this topic.....

Lustau Sherry Denominación de Origen Solera Reserva Rare Cream nv
This is a step up from Lustau’s Deluxe Cream Sherry. This wine also cries out for a fireplace after dinner. This wine starts as a dry Oloroso made from Palomino to which sweet Pedro Ximenez is added. P&B in Arcos in Jerez, bottle code 6306 20% [...]

read more from this topic.....

San Alejandro Calatalud Las Rocas Garnacha 2005
100% Grenache, 70-100 years old. The Las Rocas line is bottled for Eric Solomon, from a cooperative effort of growers in Calatalud. Elabroado y embotellado in Miedes 14.5% $8.49 at Bottle Barn
Legaris Ribera del Duero DO Crianza 2004 The first whiff was pretzels, really. That was followed by raisins, [...]

read more from this topic.....

Albarino, a.k.a., Alvarinho, is hot. This refresher from Iberia is becoming more visible in America, with more imports from abroad and more plantings on the homefront.
Condes de Albarei Rias Baixas DO Albarino 2007
Fully aromatic and lip smacking with a sweet/tart character - delicious. This brand is a cooperative effort of growers in the Salnes [...]

read more from this topic.....

Codorniu Cava Reserva Raventos Brut nv
Intense gunflint in the nose along with some mustiness. There’s some grippy astringency in the mouth. Let’s give it the benefit of the doubt and say it has a low level of cork taint. Made from traditional grapes of Penedes and Chardonnay. Elaboradora in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia 11.5% $13.99 at [...]

read more from this topic.....

Tonight we taste 8 different bubblies on the pink side, from Spain, north to Burgundy and Champagne and finally back home to California.
Codorniu Cava Pinot Noir Brut nv
Earthy and coarse - a real disappointment. All Pinot Noir fermented in the bottle tasted, as in methode champenoise. Elaborador in Saint Sadurni d’Anoia in the Penedes 12% [...]

read more from this topic.....

Bodegas Nekeas Navarra DO El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa Old Vines Grenache 2005
There’s smoke, tar and the brightness of fresh berries. Light-bodied and fruity. Sourced from 60 year old Grenache (Garnacha) grown in the Nekeas Valley. The wine is a Jorge Ordonez selection Estate bottled in Anorbe. 14% $11.49 at Bottle Barn.
Scala Dei Priorat DOQ [...]

read more from this topic.....

Lustau Sherry Denominación de Origen Solera Reserva Light Fino Sherry Jarana nv
Classic bruised apples and nuttiness. This Palomino-based wine is matured in Jerez de la Fronterra, Bottling code: 7053 15.5% $13.99 at BB emilio-lustau.com
Lustau Sherry Denominación de Origen Solera Reserva DeLuxe Cream Capataz Andres nv
This wine smells of nuts and caramel. The mouth is [...]

read more from this topic.....

This flight illustrates the divide between European and New World approaches. The Pesquera has complementary brett that works but offends some. The Yalumba is ripe and supple.
Pesquera Ribera del Duero DO Reserva 2001
100% Tempranillo. P&B by Alejandro Fernandez in Pesquera in Valladolid 13.5% $34.89 at Bottle Barn Pesquera
Yalumba Barossa Hand Picked TGV 2005
Ripe [...]

read more from this topic.....

Tempranillo plays a key role in the Spanish region of Rioja and along the river Duero aka Douro on the other side of the border in Portugal. In the latter country Tempranillo goes by the name of Tinta Roriz or simply Roriz. This flight looks at Tempranillo in varying percentages from both countries [...]

read more from this topic.....