Mouriz Cask 2008

Type: Red wine

Winery: Bodegas Solera

D.O.: Wines from Madrid

Country: Spain

Varieties: Tempranillo

Features

Solera winery is located in Colmenar de Oreja and it is 100 years old, where the past and present coexist since, although the incorporation of technology is a necessary task, this has not got rid of those methods that, although being traditional, have an important influence over quality of wine. Beginning by ecological cultivation of 18 Ha. of centenary vineyards under an exhaustive control and the handmade harvest of the grape, going on to the earthenware jars which continue pampering the wine, and finnishing with the sale in the cellar, bottle to bottle.

Ecological wine from vineyards about 40 years old. Four months inside American oak cask.

Alc./vol.: 14%

Tasting

View: Deep red cherry colour.

Nose: Intense aromas with hints of vanilla from the wood.

Mouth: Balanced with a persistent and pleasant finish.

Malvasia dry Selection

Type: Dry white wine
Winery: Stratus
D.O.: Lanzarote
Country: Spain
Varieties: Malvasia (100%)

Features

Malvasia Volcanic ungrafted vine-stock grape is the most deep-rooted variety on Lanzarote.

Manual harvesting and grape cooling process until 3ºC. Destemming and manual selection berry by berry. Gentle crushing and cold maceration for 4 hours in special tanks. Draining of the must without pressing to obtain 100% flower must. Racking during 12 hours. Alcohol fermentation at low temperature (between 12ºC and 16ºC) during 20 days. Aged in its own lees for 6 months. Filtration and bottling.

Alc./vol.: 13,5%

Serving temperature: 8-10ºC

Tasting

View: Clean, yellow colour with golden highlights.

Nose: Complex, strong and elegant appearance. Aromas of exotic and citrus fruits, fresh and floral greens.

Mouth: Powerful flavour, lively, fresh and nicely balanced on the palate.

Altos de la Finca 2009

Type: Red wine

Winery: Finca Constancia (González Byass)

V.T.: Tierra de Castilla

Country: Spain

Varieties: Petit Verdot (60%) and Syrah (40%)

Features

Grapes from vineyards located in the heights of Finca Constancia. Malolactic fermentation inside new French oak casks of superfin grain and medium toasting. 18 months in contact with its lees.

Alc./vol.: 14,5%

Tasting
View: Deep cherry red colour with high slayer. Deeply colored crying.
Nose: Aromas marked with red fruits.
Mouth: Good structure, rich and meaty on palate. Long and silky.

Sofros 2009

Type: Red wine
Winery: Bodegueros Quinta Esencia
D.O.: Toro
Country: Spain
Variety: Tinta de Toro

Features

This wine is elaborated from native grapes -tinta de Toro-, from an old vineyard (82 years) located in the village of Morales de Toro (Zamora), with a soil made up by sandstone, clay and limestone sediments, with a great profusion of rolling stones. The vineyard is 705 m height. Its type of conduction is made by the Govelet system. Continental climate with Atlantic influences. With maximum and minimum, very pronounced temperatures and very marked thermical day-night contrasts.

12-14 months inside new French oak cask.

93 points in Parker's List 2011.

Al./vol.: 15,5%

Tasting
View: Red-cherry colour with a medium-high intensity.

Nose: Fine and smooth within the contribution of the wood, cedar, vanilla, roasted aromas... which are going to open in the extent the wine becomes oxygenated.

Mouth: Round and ripe tannins, elegant and long finish.

20 years without Petrovic

Tribute to the genius from Sibenik because of the anniversary of his death.

Chivite 2008 Finca de Villatuerta

Type: Red wine

Winery: Chivite

D.O.: Navarra

Country: Spain

Varieties: Tempranillo and merlot

Features

Chivite family owns a property of 180 Ha in the village of Villatuerta, located on the slopes of Alto de Musquidia; pool Tertiary soils of chalky origin with moderate contents of clay and silt.

This wine is made from an exclusive selection of Tempranillo graves from four plots totalling 44 Ha. and Merlot from a plot of 22 Ha. within the property, turned toward southwest. After a careful winemaking, the malolactic fermentation is made inside French oak barrels (12 months), and two rackings, this wine is obtained.

Alc./vol.: 13.5%

Tasting

View: Deep ruby, young colour.

Nose: Red fruits and blueberries aromas. Spicy hints. Good wood, cedar and blond tobacco.

Mouth: Persistent and very pleasant finish.

Montesierra Crianza 2007

Type: Red wine

Winery: Bodegas Pirineos

D.O.: Somontano

Country: Spain

Varieties: Tempranillo, Moristel and Cabernet Sauvignon

Features

Bodega Pirineos' vineyard makes up an assortment of little plots locating in the just core of Somontano area. It is the most ancient from D.O. Somontano, where native varieties (macabeo, moristel, parraleta) of centenary grapevines are preserved. They take up 1.050 Ha, mainly belonging to 220 winegrowers from Sobrarbe Somontano Regional Cooperative. Vineyard, 90% dry land, benefits from brown limestone grounds with scant fertility, good permeability with soft materials, which allow the infiltration of the vine roots, suitable limestone level and fit sanitary conditions. With a height swinging among 350-650m., the Atlantic character climate typical in this area provides quality and balance to wines.

It is aging for 12 months inside French oak cask.

Alc./vol.: 13,5%

Serving temperature: 18 ºC

Tasting

View: Red cherry colour with rubi hints, well covered.

Nose: Intense aromas from oak aging although red fruits, blackberry and redcurrant prevail and vanilla, leather and spicies as green pepper.

Mouth: Velvety, spirited and great fineness. Aftertaste is prolonged and fruitty.

Martúe 2008

Type: Red wine

Winery: Bodegas Martúe La Guardia

D.O.: Pago Campo de La Guardia

Country: Spain

Varieties: Tempranillo (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), Merlot (26%), Petit Verdot (6%), Syrah (5%)

Features

Winery finally was built in 2002 and 2009 it got the Pago Campo de La Guardia qualification. A Pago's wine is the highest qualification that the Spanish legislation considers in the winegrowing matter, even above the D.O. The Pago concept when it is applied to the wine refers a vineyard located on a special settlement, with singular soils and a privileged weather which impresses to the wine its unique qualities. In Spain only nine winerys have this honour.

Fermentation is traditional, with daily overpumpings. After, it has 20 days of maceration into the depots with the skins. Wine is fermented separately in a controlled temperature with long macerations and stays nine months inside the American (20%) and French (80%) oak casks.

Alc./vol.: 14.5%

Serving temperature: 15-17ºC

Tasting

View: Cherry-red colour.

Nose: Clean and complex aroma. Red fruits and flowers stand out. Memories of spices and aromas of quality wood.

Mouth: Fresh, kind, dominating the fruit but with structure, long aftertaste and tasty.

Grego 2009

Type: Red wine

Winery: Vinos Jeromín

D.O.: Wines from Madrid

Country: Spain

Variety: Garnacha

Features

Quality of this wine begins in the own plantations, being taken care greatly. Since early August, grape samplings begin in the same plots, according to make a ripening and quality following which decides the optimum point of ripening and its harvest date. Harvest is handmade during the coldest hours of the day and with boxes 20kg weight, in order to respect greatly the grape quality. Fermentation is made into 10,000l depots within a controlled temperature (22-29ºC). Fermentation and maceration last 26 days with two daily overpumpings. The most modern technology and high quality wine products are used for the fermentation of these grapes, supporting always on the innovations of this wine growing sector. Once alcoholic fermentation is over, the wine begins the malolactic fermentation, very important for quality red wines. 12 months inside French and American oak cask.

Alc./vol.: 14,5%

Serving temperature: 14-16 ºC

Tasting

View: Deep red cherry colour with violet trims.

Nose: Very fine and intense aromas with a great complexity, red fruits, wood.

Mouth: Meaty and tasty, with a long aftertaste.

Portillejo 2009

Type: Red wine

Winery: Viñedos Mejorantes

D.O.: La Mancha

Country: Spain

Variety: Merlot

Features

It is a product of a project developed by a group of vine growers from La Mancha, which late 80's undertook the restructuring of their vineyards with foreign varieties, hence its name, this winery was born 1994 located un Toledo province. With the aim to elaborate quality wines about the basis of the vineyards selection, it is distinguised itself especially about its single varietal wines from foreign varieties, somewhat unusual in the area.

Alc./vol.: 14,5%
Serving temperature: 15-16ºC

Tasting

View: Dark deep red color, some evolved trims. Medium-high layer.

Nose: Very fragant. Medium-high intensity. Prune, dry flowers, with cacao flakes and some grain aromas as a result of the cask.

Mouth: Powerful path, structured, balsamic, medium height, very fruity, a little mineral and high alcoholic content, very complex.

Cape Spring 2010

Type: Red wine
Winery: Les Grands Chais
D.O.: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Variety: Pinotage

Features

The wines of the Western Cape range from sturdy Rhone-style red wines to aromatic Sauvignon Blancs in vineyards cooled by breezes off the Atlantic. In this case, a fragrant subtle elegant wine, with cherryish, spicy flavours and that familiar bitter sweet flavour one associates with Pinotage.

Alc./vol.: 12,5%
Serving temperature: 14-16 ºC

Tasting
View: Garnet coloured wine. Medium layer.
Nose: Intense ripe bramble and black cherry fruits.

Mouth: Dry with firm but mellowing tannins and huge, yet elegant, structure. With a fine palate of mulberry & loganberry fruits and hints of coffee and cloves in the background. Stylish wine with a savoury twist on the finish.

Imperial Reserva 2004

Type: Red wine

Winery: Cune

D.O.: Rioja

Country: Spain

Variety: Tempranillo (85%), Graciano (10%) and Mazuelo (5%)

Features

A selection of the best grapes from our Rioja Alta vineyards aronund the village of Villalba were hand harvested into small 30 kg boxes. Prior to starting the alcoholic fermentation, the whole bunches of grapes were coolled down and kept at a low temperature for some hours in order to better control the fermentation without using any additives and to achieve the optimum extraction. The fermentation took place in a combination of oak vats and stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures. The wine was then aged in both American and French new oak casks for two years before being bottled followed by another two years in bottle prior to its release to the market.

Alc./vol.: 13,5%

Serving temperature: 18-19 ºC

Tasting

View: Stylish, bright ruby red and very intense in colour.

Nose: Highly aromatic on the nose with hints of red and black autumn fruit aromas along with some toasted and spicy notes of sweet Bourbon character.

Mouth: Full and meaty in the palate with great depthand a fine, long, velvety and complex ending.

Alejairén 2010

Type: White wine

Winery: El Vínculo (Pesquera Business Group)

D.O.: La Mancha

Country: Spain

Variety: Airen

Features

This is the first white wine which Alejandro Fernández commercializes. It is made only with Airen variety, from vineyards from Paraje La Golosa, where the grounds are sandy and stony. A greasy, oily  white wine with a good potential, which will improve and become round standing into the bottle. It is aging inside the casks for 24 months.

THE BEST SPANISH WHITE WINE in the contest organized by Salamanca Wine Association “VINTAGE”, 2007.

Alc./vol.: 13,5%

Serving temperature: 7 ºC

Tasting

View: Golden colour, clean and bright.

Nose: Ripe fruit aromas, wrapped by a nice spicy hint which remembers vanilla. Toasted hints, nuts and pastries.

Mouth: Tasty, greasy and fresh, with flavours which remember cherry and dark berries. It is appreciated the hint by hardwood and toasted bottom.

Baltos

Type: Red wine

Winery: Viñedos y Bodegas de Dominio de Tares

D.O.: Bierzo

Country: Spain

Variety: Mencía

Features

This wine has been produced from the Mencia grape variety from different vineyards in the area of Bierzo, seeking a balanced and harmonious grape combination grown on three different types of soil. The predominant vineyard area is called Cabanelas. From here we have harvested vines between 25 and 40 years old planted on stony limestone soils which produce grapes offering structure and bringing out all its strong flavour.

On the other hand, vines also between 25 and 40 years old were selected from the Valtuille area. These were planted on clay-calcareous alluvial soils giving grapes of elegance and ‘finesse’. Finally, vines of at 40 years old were chosen from the Almazcara area, grown on gravel soils lying over clay-calcareous sub-soils at an altitude between 700 and 800 metres above seal level (2,300 – 2,600 ft.), situated in the Upper Bierzo region. This type of soil confers the tannins and polyphenolic compounds to the wine, needed for correct ageing. The harvest in the Western Bierzo region usually takes place during the second fortnight of September and is finalized in the Upper Bierzo region during the last week of October. After an initial selection of grapes, they are transported immediately after picking to the winery in small lots of 15 kilos. They are then sorted out by hand in bunches. The next step is to separate the stems from the grapes which are further pressed lightly before maceration with their skins during two weeks. When fermentation is completed, the wine is aged for 4 to 7 months inside French and American oak barrels which have been in use from 1 to 3 years.

Alc./vol.: 14,5%

Serving temperature: 16 ºC

Tasting

View: Intense red-cherry colour with violet trims. High layer. Slow tear.

Nose: Medium intensity aromas showing more powerful to the extent that it opens. Many red fruit accompanied with floral hints which let through the typical hints of wood with some lactic and spicy hints which have the prominence. Balsamic ending, with memories of hill grass and mint.

Mouth: Smooth, fresh and elegant, with prominence of fruit. Tasty and nice pace, with any last balsamic touch, spicy and licorice. Balanced. Good ending. Round aftertaste.

Pétalos 2010

Type: Red wine

Winery: Descendientes de J. Palacios

D.O.: Bierzo

Country: Spain

Variety: Mencía

Features

After the empahtic success in Priorat, Álvaro Palacios decided to settle in Bierzo as a great potential area. His way to understand the wine is the selection of minuscule plots of old grapevines on sheer and rocky grounds to make diferent wines depending on features of every vineyard, a similar system to the Burgundian clasification method. It began many years ago since 1999 and his technique in the making has been refined, leaving back the abuse of strong toasted casks to remove the essence of fruit and draw his wines with several fragances. One of them is Petalos, his village's wine, as Burgundians catalogue it.

It is aging for 4 months inside the cask.

Alc./vol.: 14%

Serving temperature: 16-17 ºC

Tasting

View: Violet and dark tonality.

Nose: Fragance has a perfect definition of carnations, violets and rockrose's petals and flower. When it is shaken, it gains in complexity and you can sense graphite, wood and mineral humus.  

Mouth: Floral and blueberries with very fresh texture, balsamic and a velvet dress. Tannins hardly are sensed because of a superfluous and nonexistent touch.