Articles – Page 49 – Colin Harkness on Wine

Classical Music/Wine/Dinner Event

WINE/MUSIC/DINNER PAIRING – AGAIN!

BODEGAS HACEINDA DEL CARCHE & CASA DE LA ERMITA

Regular readers may remember my account of the very well received Wine, Music and Dinner event that took place at the Swiss Hotel Moraira, before the heat of the summer addled all of our brains! Well, it seems the word has ‘got out’ – Dolce Divas, who coined the idea in the first place, are in demand.

Recently another such event was held, again at the Swiss Hotel, where the wines were supplied, this time, by two sister bodegas from D.O. Jumilla, Bodegas Hacienda del Carche and Bodegas Casa de la Ermita. And, judging by comments during and after the evening it would seem that everybody had a good time!

In fact, I’m not surprised! I say this of course, without any reference to my input. I talk of the obvious attraction of the beautiful Dolce Divas (www.dolcedivas.net) and their equally stunning renditions of classical and contemporary music; plus a range of the top wines from two of D.O. Jumilla’s finest bodegas; served with a super gourmet dinner. Not forgetting the concept itself.

As Dolce Divas’ Claire Harkness-Post (so, no bias here then!) said before the last such event:

“Some of the characteristics that can be found in wines can also be found in music. A young vibrant, purple tinged wine can be matched for charm and dynamics by a piece of vivacious music. Similarly, a full-bodied and rich aria would pair perfectly with a deeply flavoured, opulent red. And, of course, it doesn’t just apply to red wines.”

To be able to discern attributes in wine and compare them with similar characteristics within classical and contemporary music is a skill in itself, and then to combine them with a dinner designed in conjunction with the Head Chef – well surely a sensational night was in prospect!

Bodegas Casa de la Ermita (www.casadelaermita.com) is a well established bodega just outside of the inland town of Jumilla, in the Murcia Province. Over the last few years a merger has taken place with the new Bodegas Hacienda del Carche (www.haciendadelcarche.com), whose triumvirate of owners are now running both wineries. First and foremost, of course, these sister bodegas are concerned with producing top wines – a series of prestigious medals and high points in the various guides are evidence enough that this side of the business is being taken care of quite nicely!

However, in such a competitive field, there are other sides, these days, to a bodega’s success and profit making ability. There is a range of wine related products for sale – for example some wonderful wine-based confitures that go so well with cheese (more on these in my annual Christmas Presents for Wine Lovers article). Plus, wine tourism is also a major focus at these two bodegas.

There is a range of wine related activities for the wine tourist: bodega visits and tastings, of course, as well as many other activities using their really beautiful Casa Rural, where small groups of up to eight people can stay self-catering style in the wonderfully appointed and equipped ancient converted barn, which conveniently is equidistant between the two wineries! I’ve visited – believe me, it’s lovely!

Now, regarding this event, the problem, if such a wealth of possibilities can be termed a ‘problem’, was choosing the wines! We had access to both portfolios, well into double figures of wines from which we had to choose just five! Well, we couldn’t do it – so we made it six wines, plus two more as raffle prizes at the end of the event!

We were served firstly a very unusual, brick-red coloured, off-dry to slightly sweet Monastrell wine, designed to be a sweet aperitif wine so loved by the Spanish. It’s this bodega group’s version of Ice-Wine. The bottle design is as attractive as the wine – a very good start!

Taus Blanco, Hacienda del Carche, is made with Sauvignon Blanc and Macabeo. Fresh, sprightly and bright with a pleasing acidic lift, Dolce Divas compared this wine with young French maidens and paired it with ‘Jeunes Fillettes’, a traditional 18^th Century French Folk Song.

Casa de la Ermita Blanco is made with the excellent variety Viognier. Whilst retaining its freshness this wine is fuller, richer and more rounded. The song made famous by Charles Aznavour, ‘Etre’, was paired with this golden tinged white wine – the emphasis in the words of the song is on the joy of being alive with the wine aiding such a reflective mood.

Sting’s ‘Fields of Gold’ was paired with Hacienda del Carche’s Crianza red. The song charts a life-long love affair. An affair shared by those whose passion is Monastrell, the darling variety of DO Jumilla, which in this case is blended with some 30% Cabernet Sauvignon to to give the grip that such an enduring love affair needs. Fruit wise there’s a combination here of typical dark plums from the Monastrell and slightly understated blackcurrant from the nicely ripened Cabernet. All this aided and abetted by a slight liquorice and stony minerality.

Idílico, as the name suggests, an ideal wine, comes from Casa de la Ermita and is their flagship wine (though their new kid on the block Lunatico is now starting to garner awards which put it on perhaps an equal quality level). Handel’s Verdi Prati was chosen to accompany this fruit delivering wine which has an earthy, forest floor quality, giving more depth to each mouthful. There’s complexity here – a wine to enjoy simply for its rich fruit, but also one to savour. It has a medium to long length and will ensure that once tasted, you’ll want some more!

Finally a dessert wine, made with Monastrell and yet wholly different from our opening wine. Ermita’s Monastrell Dulce is a corpulent, rich, silky and rounded deeply coloured red wine. It’s a classic dessert wine made with this variety – we are so lucky to be able to taste red dessert wines of this quality from South East Spain!

Sweet yes, but cloying – definitely no! Tiger in the Night was the chosen song to pair with this wine because of the crucial acidity that dessert wines must carry along with their endearing sweetness. It’s a combination that’s perhaps a little hard to understand – we are looking for sweetness in a dessert wine, yes, but not sickly sweetness. Think of a honey (or sugar) and lemon pancake – the lemon is an integral part of the overall taste sensation, take it away, and the pancake is flabby, just too sweet.

However, it wasn’t pancakes with which this Monastrell Dulce was served, but an ideal chocolate symphony! Try it also with summer pudding, blackberry pavlovas as well as blue cheese and mature Manchego and Cheddar!

NB Next Wine TastingTapas Event – The Telitec Tasting Tour comes to Moraira’s Swiss Hotel on Thursday 12^nd November. Five wines from the restaurant’s wine list, matched with 5 gourmet international tapas, just 25€! Some places left, please call me on 629 388 159 or e-mail colin@colinharknessonwine.com

La Cata Chez Nous The Reds!

LA GRAN CATA CHEZ NOUS

PART TWO – THE REDS!

If you were able to read last week’s article you’ll already know about La Gran Cata Chez Nous (yes, I know, a sort of language fusion thing, but it works, I think?!). The article is still available at www.costa-news.com click Cork Talk, so I won’t spend too many words describing it here.

Put simply, it’s a rather exclusive wine tasting with some of the best wines in Spain paired with gourmet tapas, held at our home. It’s a lot of hard work, but worth it we hope – and judging by the comments that continue to come in (www.colinharknessonwine.com click Client Comments) it seems that our thoughts are borne out! Thank you, to those who have kindly commented!

This week it’s the turn of the reds. It is still true to say that Spain is considered, first and foremost, a red wine country. More Spanish red wine is sold than any other style (with the possible exception of Cava, whose stocks will even now be increasing dramatically in time for the phenomenal sales before and during the Christmas period).

The red wine contingent included wines from: DO Montsant; DO Ribera del Duero; and Vino de la Tierra de Castille y Leon. I think we all agreed that it was practically impossible to choose one that was above all others – it truly was a formidable group of Spanish reds offering a multitude of aromas and flavours, considerable complexity and depth, as well as unabridged hedonistic pleasure!

A formidable line-up of outstanding Spanish Red Wines!

Auditori 2013 from Acústic Celler, DO Montsant is one of the flagship wines of this young D.O. Perhaps readers will remember that, some years ago, if buying wines from DO Tarragonna, one always looked first for those from the sub-zone Falset.

Bordering the hallowed lands of DOCa Priorat (home to Spain’s equal most expensive wine) the soils of Falset have similar characteristics, in which the indigenous grape variety Garnacha thrives. So much so, that the burghers of Falset sub-zone decided to apply for full D.O. status, which was granted not long ago. They left D.O. Tarragonna and haven’t looked back!

Auditori 2013 has been given 94 points out of 100 by one of the wine world’s most influential critics, Robert Parker – and this on the back of the highly praised 2011 vintage which was similarly lauded. Made with Granacha coming from old vineyards some of which were first planted four years before the 2^nd World War when Spain was beginning to suffer its dreadful Civil War, the wine has a depth of flavour that only comes from venerable old vines.

The grapes are gently pressed in traditional old wooden presses before fermentation. Once the rich juice has morphed into wine it is placed in barricas which are stored in the old cement tanks underground, where it stays for 12 months. The dominant flavours and aromas are those t hat come from the grapes, as they should be, of course, but the judicial use of oak has paid dividends, adding integrated taste and fragrance, depth and complexity.

The overall sensation is of luxurious dark brambly fruit with some earthy notes and a super length. It’s a wine that will also age gracefully, providing real pleasure for years to come. Lovely wine!

The next wine we tasted was the VdlT wine, Mauro VS 2011 – a quite remarkable wine! The moment the cork was pulled (in fact it was me alone who had this initial pleasure as I’d opened all reds well before the tasting, though the same was noted by tasters later, when the wine was finally poured) the most alluring aromas assailed the nose, in the nicest possible way. There’s a deeply scented dark fruits confitura fragrance to this, a Guía Proensa 92 pointer, with a rrp of 53€!

Mauro VS is made with Tinto Fino, or Tinto del Pais, or the more famous name, Temporanillo. It’s made in the same sort of area, same sort of soils and climate as Ribera del Duero and it has that unmistakeable depth of rich fruit flavour, so typical of wines from this part of Spain.

The wine has also enjoyed (and I use the word advisedly) over 30 months in oak, but it’s the fruit that bis to the fore. Here we must credit the winemaker, of course, who has added depth of flavour, complexity and a wonderful, rich unctuousness by the use of oak which he has not allowed to overtake the quintessential fruit delivery. A masterpiece!

You may find richly flavour dark red fruits, loganberry for example, with some picota cherries as well as an earthy character with more than a hint of bay leaf, which in fact complemented perfectly the beef in wine tapa with which it was served. A superb wine!

Our final wine of this year’s event was from D.O. Ribera del Duero, Aalto PS 2011, crafted by Bodegas y Viñedos Aalto. I can assure that it’s not only the double ‘A’ at the start of the name of this bodega that ensures it’s at the top of the D.O. Ribera del Duero listing. It’s clearly the quality of the wine as well!

Proensa give this wine 98 points, as does Robert Parker, and I certainly wouldn’t take issue with this! Aalto PS is a glorious, quite exceptional wine whose rich, voluptuous ripe fruits flavour is also steeped in elegance. There was an almost tangible gasp when the wine was poured as its aromas rose like a genie from the lamp enveloping us all in its spell.

Yes, I know, I may seem to be a little too theatrical here – but try it and you’ll see what I mean!

In July, when I contacted the company asking for this wine to present at this annual event I was most impressed with the reply I received. They would be happy to support the event, but for the time being were unwilling to release the wine for transport at a time when we were all suffering from the wild temperatures of that, the hottest July I can remember. I would receive the wines, but not until things had cooled down sufficiently – they wanted to ensure that their wine was served in its absolute Sunday Best!

It worked – September had cooled and the wine was a real hit! Priced at about 70€ a bottle, it’s clearly, to most of us anyway, a ‘special occasion’ wine. But what an occasion!

2011was a year that was extremely favourable to the vines – the right amount of pre-growing season rain, extensive sunshine hours but without the acidity-sapping, oven like heat during the day, and almost the perfect, far cooler night temperatures that help vines so much.

It’s full of concentrated black fruit on the nose and the palate with a forest undergrowth foundation, helped, but certainly not overwhelmed, by its 22 months in barrel, which adds complexity and depth to the mix. A superb wine to drink with a splendid dinner as well as on its own when you have time to ponder the question – just how good is life?!

(www.acusticceller.com ; www.bodegasmauro.com ; www.aalto.es)

Contact Colin – colin@colinharknessonwine.com ; Twitter @colinonwine ; Facebook Colin Harkness

La Gran Cata Chez Nous

LA GRAN CATA CHEZ NOUS 2015

THE WHITE WINES

Regular readers will know of the annual wine tasting event ‘chez nous’. It’s an opportunity for those invited (very limited numbers) to taste some of the best wines in Spain, paired with, what we like to think are pretty good home-made tapas (please click on Client Comments www.colinharknessonwine.com).

Judging by comments made during the evening and subsequently via e-mail it would seem that we surpassed ourselves this year! Certainly, I believe that there has never been a better array of wines from the top draw (well the depths of the cellar, in fact!) at this tasting, and that is saying something as previous years’ wines have been excellent!

This year we were lucky enough to be tasting six, rather than the usual five wines – a white sparkling wine, two white wines and three reds. There’s enough material regarding these wines to write two articles, therefore I’ll be covering the white wines this week, with the reds to follow in next week’s Cork Talk.

It’s a while since I wrote about the Sparkling Wines coming from Bodegas Raventós i Blanc, so perhaps a quick reminder of the history behind this leading producer. In fact the present incumbent, Pepe Raventós, is a direct descendant of the man who started the Brut Ball rolling, the founder of the sparkling wine multi-million Euro industry in Spain. (Later to be officially called ‘Cava’.)

You may wonder therefore why, with such history, why Pepe has decided (after much soul searching, no doubt) to abandon the DO Cava and make instead Spanish Sparkling wine which cannot be called Cava, as he does not adhere to the rules. Well, it’s a story already told in Cork Talk, and too long to repeat – but no matter, like a rose smelling as sweet, the fizz from Raventos i Blanc is excellent quality, and none more so than the wax sealed, paper bag enclosed, De La Finca!

Put simply, this wine is superb! It is not intending to be compared to a fine Champagne, but one cannot help the comparison. Nor does it want to compete with France’s illustrious sparkler, but nevertheless the taster will automatically consider which he/she thinks the better! It’s that good!

The three traditional varieties: Xarel.lo, Macabeo and Parellada are all employed with the added crucial element of 36 months ‘en rima’ (remaining in bottle after the second fermentation with its lees) from which it draws extra depth of flavour, increased complexity, weight and elegance.

You’ll find some blanched almond notes to go along with the brioche (told you there were Champagne comparisons to be made!), a white flower fragrance, a slight, bone-dry stewed apple note which accompanies the freshly sliced apple acidity and perhaps a faint reference to white stoned fruit. The length is enduring and although the wine has that raison d’etre celebratory freshness it also has sufficient depth to accompany a range of foods, including white meats!

I’ve written before of the amazing mineral qualities of all of the wines from the DO Costers del Segre bodega, Castello d’Encus. Whilst there is an ongoing debate in the wine world re the actual nature of ‘minerality’ in wines, it’s hardly surprising that this bodega’s wines always merit the description. At least part of all their wines are fermented in huge 12^th Century Stone Vats hewn by medieval Monks out of massive boulders in the hills that climb to eventually become the Pyrenees!

Check out the website (below, with the others related to this article) to see the astonishing photographs of this fascinating fermentation!

Taleia, a Bordeaux-esque blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, has this flinty, stony and earthy characteristic to go along with a glorious, pure fruit expression of the grapes used in its crafting. Sauvignon, the enduring darling variety of UK consumers has super acidity behind its gooseberry, lemon, asparagus fruit, which, of course, makes for a lovely fresh dry white wine. Plus there’s a roundness and depth provided by the Semillon in the blend.

It’s this variety that brings with it some floral notes – I wasn’t the only one who found a faint reference to daffodils, though I agree that this might also have found its way into our thought patterns because of the wine’s colour. Taleia is a pale gold colour. You may also find some yellow peach and apricot on the palate. Super wine!

If researching wines made from Albariño in DO Rías Baixas you are certain to come across the bodega Pazo de Señorans – I can guarantee it! Why? Well, there is no doubt that this bodega and small but wonderful range of Albariño based wines is exemplary of all that’s good in this Denominación de Origen.

View the webpage, and you’ll see all the awards their wines have garnered. Consult the wine guides and see the points given to the range – always top marks; always glowing comments!

We were lucky enough to taste their flagship wine Pazo de Señorans Selección de Añada 2007 (Guía Proensa 96 points out of 100!). Yes, that’s the 2007 vintage, which readers may think gives a lie to my claim that most Spanish white wine should be drunk young! However, note the ‘most’ – there are exceptions.

White wines that have dallied with oak at some time, will last longer, for example. Selección de Añada, has not however! No, the method used for this wine is another, though expensive (because of the amount of time involved where the wine has to be kept, costing, but not yet bringing in any revenue) way of ensuring extra longevity.

The wine is fermented in stainless steel, but then kept for 30 months in a temperature controlled tank with its lees (the dead yeast particles) in situ. At regular intervals the wine has been stirred (not shaken – sorry, I’ve recently watched an old Bond film!) so that, rather than having the sediment drop nicely to the bottom of the tank making the wine above it, clear, the wine is repeatedly made cloudy!

We wouldn’t want such wine in our glass, but of course by the time that this wine is bottled it has been allowed to clarify naturally. Then when finally poured into our glasses (in this case 8 years later!) it is of course perfectly clear and bright. This regular stirring is deliberate of course – it enables the wine to be kept for a long time whilst it develops, plus it also brings with it a certain flavour and textual nuance.

Whilst enjoying the white peach and flower (magnolia for me, perhaps jasmine too?) aromas you may also note a creamy feel and flavour, a characteristic brought about by the above method. Plus, the wine retains the fresh, clean essence of fine dry white wine, making it seem to be a far younger wine than it is – it has to be considered a modern day classic! Please, try this wine!

(www.raventos.com; www.castelldencus.com; www.pazodesenorans.com )

Next week the reds from La Gran Cata Chez Nous!

NB – due to a cancellation I have two places left for our fantastic 5-day trip to La Rioja, 26^th – 30^th October! Please contact me now, for more details! 629 388 159, or e-mail colin@colinharknessonwine.com

MGWines Group

CASA CORREDOR/FINCA LA LAGUNILLA

MGWines Group

The MGWines Group, the brainchild of Señor Luis Miñano San Valero, an Alicante businessman, is intent on producing wines of a Mediterranean character, which simultaneously also reflect the distinct terroirs of the various areas of wine production in which the bodegas concerned are located.

MGWines Group has bodegas in DOs: Alicante, Bullas, Bierzo; as well as the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla however, the management, whilst imparting this objective to the staff in each individual bodega, very sensibly leave them to their own devices. Thus, included in the package, is a certain autonomy where the wine-makers, bodegueros and other integral members of the team are able to simply get on with the job.

My first article on this Group was a few months ago. I wrote then about a leading bodega making its wines in D.O. Bullas, an area which, although it has been making wine for centuries, may now be considered an up-and-coming Denominación de Origen as its wines are now forging ahead in the International Markets as well as in Spain.

A more established Denominación de Origen, D.O. Alicante, was once in a similar position. Thanks to the good offices of one particular bodega, and more to the point, the excellent wines they produced, D.O. Alicante is now one of the stars of the Spanish wine making firmament. This week’s MGWines bodega makes its wines under the auspice of D.O. Alicante.

However Casa Corredor/Finca La Lagunilla (the names seem to be interchangeable) also make wines classed as Vino de la Tierra, in this case VdlT Castilla. Now, regular readers will already know of this term – Vino de la Tierra. But for initiates to Cork Talk (Welcome, by the way, and I hope you stick with me!) VdlT wines, in times gone by, were considered to be of a decent quality, but not good enough to be given the esteemed title D.O. In modern parlance, wannabe D.O. Wines!

Times have changed. The majority of wines made under the title Vino de la Tierra are wines that winemakers want to make, according to their style, and not under the strict supervision of the D.O. police, with their rules and regulations. VdlT wines can rock, along with D.O. Wines – as indeed they do here.

Semsum2 is going to attract the ladies, for sure, and that’s before you pull the cork. It’s the blue bottle with what looks like a white painted eye above some white and light blue writing that will catch the consumer’s eye. The wine inside with ensure a return, too.

Made with Macabeo ans Moscatel it’s as aromatic as you’d expect, considering the aroma profile of Moscatel. It’s an interesting grape variety, this one. As I’m writing there is in process a Moscatel Festival in Teulada. However this Moscatel is a wholly different animal from the clone used in making Semsum2.

There are different clones of Moscatel, some are perfect for sweet, dessert wines, as in the sticky (for me, cloying) wines enjoyed in the Teulada area; and some are better equipped to make wines of a dry and off-dry character. It’s this clone that has been used here. This Moscatel brings the same grape and raison aroma with a slight exotic fruit note too, but without the sweetness.

This dry style is emphasised by the addition of Macabeo, one of the DO Cava triumvirate, and known also as Viura in certain places in Spain. Common tasting notes often refer to apple fragrance and flavour and the wines are almost exclusively dry. The combination in Semsum2 works.

You’ll find those grape notes along with ripe apples, perhaps cooked apples, but without the sugar. There is acidity to keep the palate fresh and the finish is dry with just a touch of fruit driven off-dryness.

Casa Corredor Tempranillo Syrah is made with quite young wines, the former having seen just 10 summers and the latter 15. In both cases that’s enough to make a good quality, easy drinking wine – proven here. However, I also think that this wine is a work in progress.

As the vines grow older we will see the resulting wine develop. There’ll be more depth and some complexity to add to the up-front red fruits, e.g. strawberry, typical of young Tempranillo and the finish will be longer.

But that’s in the future – now we can enjoy a rounded, fruity wine with some vanilla notes from its 6 months ageing in oak and, courtesy of the Syrah, a little peppery element which will also make the wine a good food match. We are not talking g of an expensive wine, but we are talking of a red wine that delivers.

Now, the final wine for this week, is the one referred to earlier, the VdlT wine. Casa Corredor Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 comes, perhaps perversely, lovers of French wine will think, in a Burgundy shaped bottle. (Cabernet is considered a Bordeaux variety and Bordeaux wines have a different shaped bottle).

It’s not typical in another way too – Bordeaux wines, made with Cabernet Sauvignon need a few years (sometimes a decade and more). These colder climate wines can be austere in youth, too astringent with fruit promising, but not yet being delivered. Cabernet is a good traveller though and vines planted in more southerly climes can deliver those super blackcurrant fruit aromas and flavour much earlier.

I really enjoyed this wine. There’s a nose of blackcurrant sweets when the cork is first pulled – don’t worry, it’s not sweet! This aroma is joined by just a slight waft of undergrowth, some disturbed leaves beneath an oak tree on a forest walk. Stick with it and if the blackcurrant doesn’t completely fill your senses you may discover the dark green herby fragrance of bay leaf.

Easy drinking +, which is the way I’d describe the whole range from Casa Corredor. Enjoy! (www.mgwines.com ).

Contact Colin: colin@colinharknessonwine.com and through his wine services website www.colinharknessonwine.com , where you can also subscribe to his newsletter (free of charge, of course) and therefore have first-hand and early news of the various wine events he organises, most of which are sold out very quickly! Colin is also on Facebook; Plus you can follow him on Twitter @colinonwine for the latest on the Spanish Wine scene!