Articles – Page 67 – Colin Harkness on Wine

BODEGAS MUSTIGUILLO

MUSTIGUILLO VIÑEDOS Y BODEGA

PAGO EL TERRERAZO

This winter 2013/2014 has been the mildest I can remember – indeed, using the word ‘winter’ seems risible! The odd ‘cold’ day that we’ve had on the Costas has seen temperatures fall perhaps to 7ºC, but they’ve been few and far between. Therefore the 3ºC cold that hit me when I left the car, whipped even lower by a biting wind, caused a sharp intake of breath, before I was led into the grand, heated, interview room of Mustiguillo Viñedos y Bodega.

An e-mail requesting a sample of their outstanding 100% Bobal red wine led to an invitation to visit the bodega to taste in situ and the get to the heart of this quite new (established 1990) bodega which has taken the wine world by storm. The Peñin Guide gives their top wine 96 out of 100 and the USA’s respected Robert Parker follows suit; and at 94 points their white wine is the highest scoring Spanish Mediterranean white!

My guide was founder Toni who took me around the impressive stone buildings which have been added to the country house original. It’s a large and ongoing project. White wines are deliberately produced in a separate building from the reds, and each area is kept spotlessly clean.

Large French oak Foudres of 35, 50 and 80 hectolitres capacity are used to ferment those grapes which pass muster following a rigorous selection from vineyards that are harvested only according to when the grapes are perfectly mature. Vineyards and parts of vineyards that have differing aspects to the sun are, quite sensibly, harvested manually, at different times. Harvesting their own 80 hectares can thus take a few weeks.

There are no pumps at Mustiguillo – all wine movement is done my gravity, with the ‘sombrero’, the cap of grape skins that forms above the juice, being regularly pushed down by hand for maximum extraction of colour, tannin and flavour. Temperature controlled fermentation takes typically 13 – 25 days.

The resulting, organic wines which have undergone this exhaustive process pay tribute to the philosophy of the owners. Their aim is to produce the best expression of the natural resources at their disposal. The grapes of course, but also the terrain and the climate – in short the terroir. It’s a resounding success!

I was enamoured by Finca Calvestra 2012, their plaudit winning white wine, made almost unbelievably from the hitherto largely characterless indigenous variety, Merseguera. The secret – well the 25+ years old vines (just wait until they attain a greater age – their wines will be spectacular!) struggle against harsh conditions on the highest altitude vineyards.

At 900 metres above sea level the difference between night and day time temperatures on the exposed site adds a bracing acidity to the wine whilst the sunshine ripens the grapes bringing out all the natural flavour that can be had from this variety. Following its barrel fermentation and a short ageing on its lees you’ll find white flowers, under-ripe pineapple, some citrus notes and an alluring distant Acacia honey aroma – though the wine is perfectly dry.

The enigmatically labelled Mestizaje 2012 is what could be called their ‘entry level’ wine – but what an entry. The wine has a different make-up every year, according, as it should be, to the harvest. There’s normally 65% – 85% Bobal, the captivating indigenous variety, blended with perhaps Garnacha, Syrah, Tempranillo, Cabernet and Merlot. There is no attempt to make a homogeneous Mestijaze – all will depend on how each variety has ripened at each harvest.

There’s good fruit, dark cherries, the Bobal calling card, but with blackberry and blackcurrant too – with some spice and maybe a dash of minerality. It’s 2012 and so still young but you don’t need to be a very experienced taster to tell that whilst it’s tasting well now, it will develop and improve over the next five years.

Some experience is needed, I would say, when tasting the next two wines – the two flagships of the bodega, firstly Finca Terrerazo and finally the exceedingly highly rated, Quincha Corral. Both are from the 2011 vintage and substantial wines such as these need some time to mellow into the wonderful examples that they will eventually become.

Masters of Wine (don’t worry, you don’t have to be one to appreciate these wines!!) are highly prized for their ability to taste ‘en primeur’, amongst other skills. This is where the season’s new Bordeaux wines which are still maturing, way before they’ll be bottled and sold, are tasted to determine just how good they will be when that time comes. It’s a great skill.

The Mustiguillo 2011 wines are nothing like that early in their development. Indeed the Finca Terrerazo has just been bottled and will soon be on the market, however both will develop dramatically over time. It has an abundance of dark cherry fruit coming from the 100% 40 years old Bobal vines, with an appealing black pepper spiciness. 20 months in French oak have subtly added depth and complexity with a little black chocolate bitterness and some tobacco. It’s quite a big wine with tannin and acidity to tame and yet it has a lovely initial soft mouthfeel and haunting elegance.

Quincha Corral has all the above, but more so! It’s powerful, yet subtle and elegant. It has rich fruit emanating from the Bobal vines which were planted in 1945 on the bodega’s most prized vineyard. Black cherry fruit, and bags of it, with fully integrated tobacco and coconut oak notes. It’s rich, full and rounded – concentrated and structured in a way that will see the wine unwind over the next five years to be drinking perfectly for a further five years and more.

Contact Colin: colin@colinharknessonwine.com and through www.colinharknessonwine.com and Twitter @colinonwine

Bodegas Lahoz, DO La Mancha

BODEGAS LAHOZ

DO LA MANCHA

In an area as vast as DO La Mancha, easily Spain’s largest wine producing area, you’d expect to find wines across the quality spectrum, from entry level to those of fine wine status. You’d also expect to find large and indeed huge wineries producing wines across that spectrum, as well as boutique wineries, perhaps with visionary maverick winemakers keen on experimentation.

Well La Mancha, located south of Madrid and sprawling towards Utiel to the East, Badajoz to the West and Valdepeñas, and beyond to the South, has it all. There are still wineries making bulk wines for sale to those countries not so well blessed with sunshine (I wonder if there is/will be a slight decline in this business as global warming enfranchises more northerly countries in the wine making world?). However the less than complimentary ‘bulk wine’ tag which so often in the past dismissed any fine wine thoughts re La Mancha, is now exactly that, in the past.

I received a raft of wines from Bodegas Lahoz and I’ve been pleasantly sipping my way through them for several weeks now. Their flagship wine, Abad de Soto, is in fact a Vino de la Tierra de Castilla wine, rather than DO La Mancha.

Regular readers will know that the olden days (even as recently as just 10 years ago) where the cream of wines were firmly sealed with a Denominación de Origen label and all others were, by degrees, less fine, are now well and truly buried. VdlT wines are up there with the best – and Abad de Soto is one of them.

Made with Tempranillo, the most planted variety in the area, the wine is made from fruit emanating from the best vineyards, where some altitude gives respite from the furnace-like daytime temperatures and all-day sunshine. There are dark cherries and bramble fruit on the nose, understated cinnamon and smoky notes with a lick of tar on the long finish. Elegant too.

The Recata range is also VdlT. Unfortunately the Sauvignon Blanc Fermented in Barrica was oxidised – which was a shame, though no fault of the winery of course. I like Sauvignon anyway, but when it has had some oak in its nurturing it takes on different aroma and flavour nuances.

The Recata 2007 Tempranillo is alive and well, owing to its quite rich fruit as well as nine months in oak. There are darker fruits as above here but some loganberry lightness too. It’s juicy with a medium finish.

Vegacorcoles Tempranillo Roble is another syle of wine I like. Yes, it’s had time in oak, but less than for a crianza or reserva. Therefore it’s the fruit that is to the fore, and there’s bags of it in this wine. Juicy, tangy with a medium finish it’s a lovely wine to simply enjoy and to have with meat orientated tapas – chorizo sausages for example.

Of course the white wine darling grape variety of DO La Mancha is Airén, she (previously) of too late harvesting, bulk dross etc. Nowadays a very different animal. Picked in August when the sunshine has ripened the grapes but not yet stripped it of its acidity, Airén can offer not just welcome freshness but charming fruit too.

A pleasing citrus acidity was noted when Vegacorcoles Airén 2012 was fist opened. Twenty four hours later there were fresh pear notes and a distant Golden Delicious apple note too! I really enjoyed it.

From the same range their Tempranillo (what else?!) rosado was a lovely soft red fruit mouthful with enough depth to take on some light meats and certainly rice dishes. Paella of course, but also others, for example Arroz A Banda, Arroz Caldoso, Puchero, perhaps less famous though nonetheless fully flavoured. The rosado can take all this, as well as being a super sipping wine too.

Vegacorcoles 2012 Tempranillo Joven has all the fresh ripe strawberry fruit one would expect from a Tempranillo unfettered by oak. A wine to enjoy by the mouthful whilst chatting with friends and while eating grilled meats, as well as the rice dishes above.

PS Two seats left on our wine orientated Short Break to Granada/Jerez/Seville – please call 00 34 629 388 159!

Contact Colin: colin@colinharknessonwine.com and through the unique www.colinharknessonwine.com as well as Twitter @colinonwine

Grupo Navarra Costa News Article Jan 2014

GRUPO LA NAVARRA

BODEGAS: MARCO REAL; SEÑORÍO DE ANDIÓN;

VIÑEDOS DE VILLAESTER; & BELASCO DE BAQUEDANO!

It’s not just the wines made by Grupo Navarra that provide a bit of a mouthful. If you try and say all the names of the bodegas under their control as well as the areas of production where they are placed, you’ll find you’ll need a long breath!

You might remember my article, written way back in July 2013, which alluded to the iceberg beneath its tip, the Homenaje range of wines, produced by Bodegas Marco Real, DO Navarra? Well, although a major player within the group, Bodegas Marco Real is only one, of an impressive group of bodegas which make wine in various different locations in Spain, as well as the Mendoza region of Argentina.

Subsequent Cork Talks have told of some of those areas and several of those wines. I’ve not tasted a poor one yet, and today’s final article is about the remainder. I urge you to look out for wines made by these bodegas, you’ll not be disappointed!

The dry climate and brown stone-strewn soils on the high plains above the River Duero, in which Verdejo, Viura and more recently Sauvignon Blanc vines thrive, give DO Rueda wines an intriguing terroir ‘feel’. Viña del Sopié wines, which make use of all three varieties, is the latest range in the La Navarra portfolio of wines.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Viña del Sopié wines are making a contribution to the fascinating fact that one in three bottles of wine sold in Spain is from Rueda! Their Verdejo/Viura blend is typically fresh with citrus, green pepper and kiwi fruit aromas. My favourite was their Viña del Sopié Verdejo 100% where fennel notes are added to the above with some gooseberry and thyme flavour can also be found.

Inaugurated just ten years ago and located adjacent to Bodegas Marco Real, the wines of Señorío de Andión have a different flavour and style to those of their sister bodega. The 2008 makes use of hand harvested Tempranillo, Cabernet, Merlot and Graciano which enjoy fifteen months in French oak.

The resulting wine is full and flavoursome with notable elegance and complexity. Its dark colour promises some black cherry flavours which combine nicely with Cabernet blackcurrant and Merlot plum and a slightly ephemeral Tempranillo inspired loganberry. There’s a little bay leaf and earthiness on the finish, which is quite long. Lovely wine.

The Señorío de Andión Moscatel dessert wine was a revelation served with Foie Gras over Christmas and must go down as one of the best dessert wines of the year! The grapes are late harvest, staying on the vines until they have reached a high sugar level, but retaining the necessary acidity.

After fermentation the wine is left on its lees with regular battonage (stirring) and then run off into French oak until the wine maker declares it is ready for bottling. It then spends time in bottle before being released. You’ll find delicious honeyed nuts on the nose and palate, with orange skin, raisins, sugared dried fruits and a hint of mountain herbs. Super!

Let’s now talk Rioja – yes, Grupo La Navarra makes wine in Spain’s most famous area too. Domus Dei Crianza 2008 is a dark garnet colour with rich cherry and red berries bound together with oaky vanilla notes from its ageing in French and American oak. It lingers on the palate, eventually fading with a note of sweet tannin.

In some ways the Domus Dei 2007 Reserva is more of the same – but there’s an extra depth and complexity to this wine which aged for three years, half in oak and half in bottle before its release. Sweet tannin again with some refreshing acidity and still bold fruit bound together with understated and yet influential oak notes – vanilla and some coffee and toffee too.

The Arvutada from Viñedos de Villaester (named after Europe’s largest and heaviest bird whose picture adorns the label) has Cabernet Sauvignon punching above its Tempranillo bedfellow’s weight. There’s a touch of tar and liquorice noted within the upfront blackcurrant fruit and this VdlT Castilla y León wine is one of those wines that emphasise again the fact that not all top Spanish wine is DO wine!

Finally, in terms of this article, but in terms of my drinking wines from the La Navarra Group, there is the Taurus range from the Villaester winery in DO Toro. Their crianza 2007 is made from Tinta de Toro grapes (aka Tempranillo!) which were hand harvested and after fermentation the resulting deeply coloured wine was aged in oak for six months. Look out for the dark cherry fruit and earthy feel of the wine. Another success from this large group of bodegas!

PS Just had a cancellation for the wine orientated Short Break in the mountains above Granada, Jerez and Seville – please see advert on this page. Two places left!

Contact Colin: colin@colinharknessonwine.com & www.colinharknessonwine.com and you can follow Colin on Twitter: @colinonwine

Top Ten Spanish Wines

THE CORK TALK TOP TEN!

THE BEST TEN WINES OF 2013!

So straight to it:

No. 1 – for the fist time ever, a wine that has hit the top spot for two consecutive years! Doix Costers de Vinyes Vellas, Bodegas Mas Doix, DOCa Priorat, though this time it’s the 2009 vintage. The grapes for this classy wine, a measly half kilo per vine(!), come from vineyards whose Cariñena and Garnacha vines are between 80 and 105 years of age. Concentrated dark berry flavours are to the fore on first sniff and hit, and in the mouth the wine expands in terms of it rich flavours. There are spicy notes with some bay leaf too, a hint of smoke, some graphite, some distant old leather, a slight cinnamon note and all bound together with ripe fruit and bold, but unobtrusive tannin – to ensure longevity.

No. 2 Clio, Bodegas El Nido, DO Jumilla. Clio is made with 79% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Old vines are used, the Monastrell are really old, perhaps 100yrs, and the Cabernet are north facing. The vineyards stoically endure very cold winters and furnace like heat in the summer. You might get coffee, blackberry/current jam, liquorice, cassis, leather, and an overwhelming sense of opulence, a very rich mouthfeel, filling the mouth with flavour the moment you take a sip.

No. 3 Pezas da Portela, Bodegas Valdesil, DO Valdeorras. Made from grapes grown in eleven different vineyards surrounding the village of Portela this white wine is fruit driven but with an elegance that speaks of really fine wine. There is a most desirable mineral nose coming from the slate-strewn soils in which the vines grow – you’ll find apple flavours, some peachy notes, paraguyo and a refreshing understated citrus element too.

No. 4. Les Ceveres, Bodegas Oriol Rosello, DO Penedés. This stunning white wine which has had six months in French oak has a delightful coconut cream nose from its lees and from the barricas in which is has lain. Slight hazelnut and blanched almond aromas are joined by baked apples and just a suggestion of white peach on the finish.

No. 5 Gran Reserva Brut Nature Cava, Bodegas Oriol Rosello, DO Cava. Its pale gold colour tells of its age and perhaps suggests that there may be Chardonnay in the blend – but no, this is traditional in that it uses only indigenous Cava varieties, in this case Xarel.lo and Parellada. Full flavoured but graceful and elegant with complexity. Its aromas gradually develop, just as the genie from the lamp slowly and gracefully manifests itself; and its glorious length kept us all hushed for several moments after swallowing!

No. 6 Albet i Noya Gran Reserva 2009 Brut Nature. The aroma of his Gran Reserva is as rich as can be and promises some wonderful flavours in the mouth. The traditional three grape varieties are supported by a sizeable proportion of Chardonnay and the patisserie notes, normally associated with Champagne, are here in abundance too. There’s a touch of green apple, largely from the Macabeo, and the fermented apple nose and taste of some classic Asturias dry cider. Admirable length and graceful elegance allied with richness!

No. 7 Lavia, Bodegas Molino y Lagares de Bullas, DO Bullas. Made with Monastrell and Syrah the wine is fermented in foudres made of French oak and stainless steel after which they are placed, by gravity only, into French oak barrels. Mountain herbs, black pepper, ripe black cherries and damson with earthy vanilla notes and a slight bitter chocolate finish.

No. 8 Feitizo da Noite Brut, Bodegas Pablo Padin, DO Rías Baixas Vino Espumo, The wine has the typical bready patisserie nose on first opening but this aroma is soon joined by typical Albariño white peach fruit and white flower fragrance. It has a lingering finish and its 8 grams of residual sugar classify it as a dry, Brut, sparkler, also making it an ideal partner to any cuisine that might include a touch of sweetness, Chinese and Indonesian for example, as it has the necessary acidity to cut through the sweetness but also the flavours to complement.

No. 9 Sueño Megala 2007, Bodegas Enguera, DO Valencia. At 14·5% this is a powerful, and yet elegant wine. Made mostly from a blend of Monastrell, Tempranillo and Syrah it has clearly enjoyed its 22 months in French oak. There are earthy aromas and bay and rosemary herbal notes on the nose with Enguera’s usual high level of delicious dark and light red fruit on the palate too. It’s a multilayered wine with complexity, a lengthy finish and a certain sensuality as well.

No. 10 Diez Siglos 2011 Fermentado en Barrica, Bodegas Diez Siglos de Verdejo, DO Rueda. The oldest vineyards comprised of stone strewn earth with few nutrients provide the wine with a pleasing, almost flinty mineral note. It has nine months in French oak and it’s this, added to typical herby green pepper vegetal notes along with gooseberry and kiwi, that provides the fresh, ripe grapefruit on the finish.