Category: Articles

COSTA NEWS AUGUST 2011

 

GRUPO VINTAE’S INSURGENT WHITE GEURILLAS CONSOLIDATE IN THE

HALLOWED VINEYARDS OF RIOJA

Readers with long memories might recall two articles I wrote after my biennial visit to Spain’s greatest wine and food fair, Alimentaria 2010 (I’ll be there again in 2012 – watch this space!). They talked of ‘guerrilla warfare’ in La Rioja where Grupo Vintae prefers to use ‘foreign’ white wine grape varieties that they feel are perfectly suited to such vineyards, but which are not permitted by the ruling DOCa La Rioja Consejo Regulador.

 In recent months of horrific, rebellious unrest in several different parts of the world it would be tastelessly facile to continue the analogy – revolution and rebellion in Libya, Syria, Afghanistan et al is an altogether different matter, of course.

 Nevertheless there is change happening in La Rioja, that bastion of conservative tradition, where the old-guard is having to make way for revolutionary new-wave wines. The Vintae stand at Alimentaria 2010 was crowded to capacity for the launch of the so dubbed ‘Spanish White Geurrilla Wines’, a dramatic contrast to the Peñin presented traditional white Rioja tasting held at the same time, but feebly supported!

 It was the principal that first impressed me. With no axe to grind, just a genuine desire to tell it like it is, I have been something of a detractor of white Rioja over the years. Viura, the main grape variety used, has little or no character when grown in the hills of Rioja, in my view. It can be helped, to a degree, by barrel fermentation and/or some oak ageing. But not enough to make it a serious challenger to white wines from other areas – I never buy white Rioja!

 One or two years before the last Alimentaria there were signs that the old guard had finally turned a slightly sympathetic ear to those critics and, more pertinently, some Rioja producers who had been lobbying for change. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo were added to the list of permitted grapes, though it was declared that Viura must still make up over 50% of any blend, lest the ‘true Rioja character’ be lost!

 I was placated and looked forward to the results. Of course it takes time to develop a vineyard with new plantings so we couldn’t expect a sudden rush of new white Riojas. It takes time to change mind-sets too!

 In March 2010 there was only one Rioja bodega with whom I talked which was considering using, in this case Sauvignon Blanc, in its blend. It took plenty of time for Mrs. Thatcher’s Government to be defeated!

 It seems that Vintae, firstly wasn’t prepared to wait and, secondly, they required more anyway. Give them a small vineyard and they want a hectare! Varieties such as Riesling and Viognier were planted on sites whose soils and micro-climates had been strictly analysed (terroir, or terreno, the Spanish version of this all-singing-all-dancing French word that so perfectly describes a wines ‘place’!).

 Was I to be impressed by the wines as well as the idea? Well yes I was, in that at last there was some taste, some depth of flavour, some aroma, and plenty of potential coming from white wine from the Rioja area. The vineyards were yet young and would need time to develop, to consolidate, and I expected more next time I tried them.

 Nearly two years on it’s clear that Vintae’s research is paying off. The samples I recently received were all super, fragrant and flavoursome wines, exhibiting stronger varietal character notes as the vines become older. At the moment I can only imagine how good these wines will be in 10 and 20 more years when the new varieties will have adapted further to the site-specific terroir!

 Whetted your appetite? Well, next week I’ll tell you my tasting notes about these White Geurrillas plus a hint or two about another Vintae project, this time for red wines!

First Published in Costa Blanca Nachrichten Sept. 2011 Author: Maike Körber

„ Die Trauben für guten Wein hatten
die Alicantiner schon immer“, erklärt
Colin Harkness. Der Brite ist
anerkannter Weinexperte an der
Küste. Er schreibt unter anderem
für die Wochenzeitung „Costa
Blanca News“ eine Wein-Kolumne.
„Nur leider haben die Alicantiner
früher nicht viel mit ihrem Wein
angefangen“, sagt der 58-jährige.
Der gegärte Saft, der bedingt
durch das gute Klima besonders
fruchtig und alkoholhaltig ist, wurde
Weinexperte Colin Harkness

früher nur im Fass angeboten,
nicht in Flaschen. So wurde er vorwiegend
in der Region getrunken.
Außerhalb wurde der Wein nicht
verkauft. Zusätzliches Geld verdienten
sich die Winzer mit dem
Verkauf von Trauben nach Frankreich.
„Um etwas Sonne in den
französischen Wein zu geben“, sagt
Weinexperte Harkness und grinst.
Vor 30 Jahren hätte kein Buch der
Welt Alicantiner Wein erwähnt.
Das bestätigt auch Oller aus
Teulada: „Früher haben wir alles
nur in Fässer gefüllt. Irgendwann
stellte sich aber heraus können, dass
wir den Wein teurer verkaufen,
wenn wir ihn in Flaschen anbieten.
Heute verkaufen wir 95 Prozent unserer
Produktion in Flaschen.“
Der Aufschwung, den der Alicantiner
Wein genommen hat, ist
mit einem Namen verbunden: Erst
Enrique Mendoza habe dem regionalen
Wein zu Ansehen verholfen,
ist Harkness überzeugt. „Er wollte
Qualitätswein herstellen und das ist
ihm gelungen“, sagt der Experte.
Enriques Sohn Pepe Mendoza
In den Edelstahltanks findet die kontrollierte Fermentation statt. erinnert sich: „Als ich klein war, inden 70er Jahren, hat mein Vater mit mir und meinem Bruder Julián an alten Maschinen etwas Wein für die Familie hergestellt. Nur etwa 10.000 Liter haben wir produziert. Dann hat er sich irgendwann die Frage gestellt, ob er es lassen soll oder die Produktion ausbaut.“Pepe Mendoza leitet heute gemeinsam mit seinem Bruder die Bodega in L’Alfàs del Pi. Zugute sei ihrem Vater der technische Fortschritt gekommen, sagt Harkness. So stieg man von Fässern oder Zementtanks auf Edelstahl um und konnte den Fermentationsprozess besser kontrollieren. Das wichtigste, meint auch Harkness, sei die Kontrolle über die Temperatur. „Mendoza hat das verstanden und konnte so qualitativ hochwertige Weine produzieren.“ Die Bodega in L’Alfàs del Pi hat die Herkunftsbezeichnung D.O. Alicante, die es bereits seit 1932 gibt, entscheidend vorangebracht, mittlerweile ist der Ruf des Alicante-Weins auch international gestiegen. Die Bodega Mendoza verkauft ihre Weine längst nicht mehr nur in Spanien, sondern exportiert in 23 Länder. „Ein guter Wein muss aber nicht immer D.O. gekennzeichnet sein. Oft schmecken auch Vinos de la Tierra, und nur weil sie nicht alle erforderlichen D.O.-Regeln erfüllen, dürfen sie die Herkunftsbezeichnung nicht übernehmen“, erklärt Harkness.

Der Weinexperte Colin Harkness bietet Weinproben, Touren oder Bodegabesuche an. In der Erntezeit fährt er zu ausgewählten Alicantiner Bodegas. Infos unter www.colinharknessonwine.com  oder per Mail an colin@colinharknessonwine.com .

 

 

 

First Published Costa News Group June 2011

CELLER CAPÇANES

DENOMINACIÓN DE ORIGEN MONTSANT

I first tasted a Celler Capçanes wine fourteen years ago. It was a fine welcome for one who was intent on enjoying and learning more about the wines of my adoptive country. It helped confirm that I had made the right decision to emigrate! Some years later when my wine writer colleague, Tim Atkin, who, with others, was asked to declare the wine he had enjoyed most that year, he named Capçanes’ Cabrida as his favourite, to the surprise of his fellow commentators.

The Co-operative winery Celler Capçanes, though delighted of course, was also somewhat surprised! To be singled out for producing the wine that such a famous luminary preferred, in a year when he had no doubt been tasting wines from all of the ‘best’ wine producing areas of the world, was quite a feat. In some ways though, it didn’t surprise me.

Mas Collet, the Capçanes wine that I first tried, was clearly a memorable delight all that time ago, so it’s no wonder that their flagship wine, several years later, should receive such an accolade. Readers can therefore imagine how keen I was to take up their invitation to visit the tiny village of Capçanes, in the province of Tarragona, and see for myself how this remarkable winery operates.

With some of the vineyards being under 200 metres above sea level, and indeed not many kilometres from the tourist beaches of this southern-most Province of Cataluña, one might doubt the possibility that top quality wine can be made here. However the exceptional terroir, which boasts three different soil types; the advantageous microclimate (it was typically misty and cool in the vineyards on the morning we visited, having left glorious sunshine on the coast); the beneficial vineyard aspects to the sun; and the dramatic difference between day and night time temperatures, mean that any lack of altitude is insignificant.

Practically all of the villagers (pop. 400) agreed to group together and form a co-operative during the 60’s to redefine their identity from cottage industry to that of a corporate entity, thus empowering the growers, with a view to improving profit. All for one and one for all.

En Granel (bulk) wine was the name of the game as there were still not that many wine producing areas in those days which had foreseen the necessity to bottle wine. Whilst not exactly becoming a force in the wine world the co-operative survived, just about satisfying its members.

There was a change in the 90`s. Some of the heavyweight wine producers of the larger area, Torres for example, came searching for good quality grapes to help expand their wine portfolios, and of course their profit! Indeed in 1995 Torres was buying 80% of Capçanes’ grape production. The phrase ‘all eggs in the same basket’ comes to mind, and fortunately the co-operative’s management saw the possible outcome, as it noticed that Torres and others were also starting to buy land in the area. Would this mean that their main customer would soon forsake their grapes, preferring their own?

It’s a long story but the grape growers of this unique area of Cataluña decided to act to protect their interests. They lobbied the powers that be to have the area declared a Denominación de Origen and were successful in creating DO Priorat and DO Tarragona.

It was noted that wines coming from the area around Falset made under the auspices of DO Tarragona had a unique character. Falset was therefore made into a special sub-zone, with wines bearing this information on the label being the most sought after.

Celler Capçanes is in the middle of this sub-zone and whilst enjoying the extra impetus and renown they were also conscious that they were nevertheless still a part of DO Tarragona, which was very much in the shadow of the more illustrious DO Priorat. Back to the lobbying drawing board! They needed a third DO creating, recognising the individual character of their area!

The 2000 vintage, two millennia after the Romans had first planted vines in these rolling hills of Tarragona, was the first for DO Montsant – the new, distinctive DO of Cataluña!

 More wines from Celler Capçanes next week – including the Jewish Connection!

First Published: Costa News SL, May 2011

BODEGA MARTÍN CÓDAX

DO RÍAS BAIXAS

PART TWO

The Albariño grape variety is as important to Denominación de Origen Rias Baixas as Messi is to Barcelona. This supremely aromatic grape variety ripens to reveal in its wines, lovely peach and apricot flavours, but with a refreshing acidity too.

Within Spain (and in Portugal where it’s known as Alvarinho) it’s always been appreciated as probably Spain’s best white wine variety, but it wasn’t until my colleagues, the ladies and gentlemen of the international press, started travelling to taste in situ that the wine world generally became aware of this noble variety. Twenty years ago demand started it’s now seemingly unending ascent up the graph, like the pulse rate of a Barça fan when Messi receives the ball.

The young folk who had forsaken the area through lack of jobs and prospects started returning to work the vineyards, and the lucky ones with the wherewithal bought land and planted Albariño. It seems it’s no coincidence that some Albariños have an unmistakeable golden hue (for example Bodega Martín Códax’s Gallaecia 2007 as discussed last week). Albariño is probably Galicia’s most prized asset, driving the economy as well as being enjoyed in every bar and restaurant in the area, by locals and tourists alike!

Originally a co-operative bodega with no great ambitions other than to produce good quality white wines, Bodega Martín Códax was founded in 1985 as the wave of Albariño was just building. They’ve been riding it at its crest ever since and I recently received several of their white wines, plus a really fun red from their outpost in DO Bierzo with perhaps the best label I’ve seen this year!

Martín Códax Lias Albariño 2007 is limited production wine made by keeping the must on its lees for 12 months, two of which were with ‘batonage’, stirring, which adds a creamy dimension to the wine without detracting from its innate freshness. This full-bodied and yet elegant wine is one for the dinner table, the more so if the dish to accompany it is perhaps some fresh fish in a slightly creamy sauce!

Martín Códax Organistrum Colleita 2008 is named after a medieval stringed instrument played by minstrels to entertain pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostela. From old design parchments an Organistrum was replicated by the bodega and is played at concerts in the building.

The wine is made with Albariño from a specific vineyard at only just over 100 metres above sea level where the grapes ripen fully and produce high alcohol wines, but again with an acid lift. Fermented initially in stainless steel, the wine then goes though a malolactic second fermentation in Allier French oak adding an extra depth of flavour. It is then transferred to steel again where it rests for a further seven months before bottling.

It is delicately perfumed wine with stoned fruit still, but a tiny almost imperceptible vanilla element too that just changes the flavour profile. I personally don’t subscribe to the view that Albariño gains a lot with age. I enjoyed the wine but would like to try one a year younger – given the chance!

It doesn’t surprise me that Martín Códax also operates in nearby DO Bierzo. This innovative bodega has shown that it is willing to try different styles of Albariño wines, successfully too, so why not make a red wine as well?

 I loved their Cuatro Pasos Mencía 2009 with the distinctive black label with four paw footprints in shiny red. It’s had a couple of months in oak for some added flavour and aroma but this is a wine that expresses the lovely damson and black cherry flavours of this rare variety. It’s a fun, serious wine – an enlighteningly happy combination!