So, on with the show:
I was a little nervous about The Gala Dinner, following the sumptuous lunch – I wondered if I’d be able eat anything after gorging myself of the 8 or so courses, with wine, that we enjoyed so much at lunchtime. However, I couldn’t seem to be unappreciative, so I made a big effort! Such dedication!
Well it wasn’t hard – the dinner was excellent at Restaurante Pedro Marín, Caravaca de la Cruz, which is a 2o minute coach journey from Bullas. Top quality amuse bouches and again several courses. Needless to say the wines were several of those which we had been ‘blindly’ judging during the day – and there were plenty of them!
Finally, the Prizes were awarded as follows:
PREMIOS VIII CERTAMEN DE CALIDAD DE VINOS DOP BULLAS
CATEGORÍA VINOS BLANCOS
Medalla de PLATA – LAS REÑAS MACABEO 2014 DE BODEGAS DEL ROSARIO
CATEGORÍA VINOS ROSADOS
Medalla de ORO – ROSMARINUS ROSADO 2014 DE BODEGA CARRASCALEJO
CATEGORIA VINOS TINTOS JÓVENES AÑADAS 2013 y 2014
Medalla de ORO – CARRASCALEJO 2013 DE BODEGA CARRASCALEJO
Medalla de PLATA – MABAL 2014 DE BODEGA BALCONA
CATEGORÍA DE VINOS TINTOS JÓVENES CON MADERA AÑADAS 2012 y 2013
Medallas de ORO- ALMUDÍ 2013 DE BODEGA MONASTRELL
Medalla de PLATA – NIÑO DE LAS UVAS 2013 DE BODEGAS DEL ROSARIO
Medalla de PLATA – LAS REÑAS BARRICA 2013 DE BODEGAS DEL ROSARIO
CATEGORÍA DE VINOS TINTO CRIANZA AÑADAS 2012 y 2011
Medallas de ORO – LAS REÑAS SELECCIÓN 2011 DE BODEGAS DEL ROSARIO
Medalla de PLATA – CEPAS DEL ZORRO 2011 DE COOPERATIVA SAN ISIDRO
CATEGORÍA DE VINOS TINTO CRIANZA AÑADAS 2010 y Anteriores
Medalla de ORO – VALCHÉ 2010 DE BODEGA MONASTRELL
Medalla de PLATA – VALCHÉ 2007 DE BODEGA MONASTRELL
Medalla de PLATA – SEÑORIO DE BULLAS CRIANZA 2010 DE BODEGAS DEL ROSARIO
Medalla de PLATA – CHAVEO 2010 DE BODEGA MONASTRELL
Coincidentally I was seated at the same table as Señor Alfonso J. Garcia (and his charming wife) who won two of the Gold Medals – he owns and makes the wines for Bodega Monastrell, www.bodegamonastrell.com. You’ll see his Golds below and there is no doubt in my mind that these wines would also merit medals in the worlds oldest International Wine Competition, the International Wine & Spitits Competition (www.iwsc.net).
Indeed, I’ve encouraged Alfonso to enter this year’s competition. Success in the IWSC is really meaningful, but not just for the bodega concerned, also for the DO.
Another multi-award winning bodega was Bodegas Del Rosario, whose winemaker must have been exhausted at the end of the evening, so often did he have to leave his table to collect and award! www.bodegasdelrosario.com
There were also two golds for my friend Ignacio Pidal, owner of Bodegas Carrascalejo, whose company (and wines!) I had enjoyed during lunch! www.carrascalejo.com
Also, check out Partal wines – the young, joven wines, as well as their more elderly offerings! www.partal-vinos.com
Let’s face it DO Bullas, is not the first Spanish wine producing area that comes to mind, and yet there is real quality here. Wines that compete with those from the better known areas in Spain. Wines that really deserve consumers’ attention.
Some further reflections of the DO Bullas Annual Wine Competition will follow in the next few days.