Tag Archives: Bodegas

Vega Sicilia Tinto ‘Valbuena’ 5°. A Complex and Super Fine Wine!

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Vega Sicilia is without any doubt the best and most refined wine made in Spain. In 1864, Eloy Lecanda founded the winery that symbolizes the golden legend of Spanish red wine. Throughout its long history, it has belonged to different owners, although it has always maintained an unquestionable personality, making concentrated, mature, generous and extremely elegant.

This spectacular wine typically made from is one of the best examples of what great wines are supposed to taste, smell and look like. Vega Sicilia only makes three different wines under the Vega Sicilia winery brand: ‘Valbuena 5°’, ‘Reserva Especial‘ (with no vintage as this is a blend of different vintages) and ‘Único’. Vega Sicilia also owns Pintia, Alion (often called the poor man’s Vega Sicilia) and Tokaj Oremus which are not sold under the Vega Sicilia name, however, they happen to also be some of the best wines in the world.

Bodegas Vega Sicilia is located in the town of Valbuena de Duero between Peñafiel and Valladolid in the wine region of Ribera del Duero in Spain. Since 1982, the company is owned by the Alvaréz family.

What makes this wine so unique and excellent?

The aging of the wine begins in January; first in containers and then in new American Oak wooden casks. For the ‘Valbuena 5°’, the duration of the aging process in wood is three and a half years, and for the ‘Único’, a minimum of seven years. During this time, the wine is rotated form new casks to casks that are more and more used. With a view to achieving a perfect balance between the wine and the wood. Once this has been achieved, the wines finally rest in large wooden vats, which prepares them for later bottling. The aging in the bottle requires time and care. The wines of Vega Sicilia end their journey with a calm rest in the bottle in specially acclimatised installations. The time they remain there depends on the format of the bottle: Vega Sicilia ‘Único’ in Bordeaux format (0.75 litres) takes three years or more to age. For the ‘Valbuena 5°’, the period for aging in the bottle is around a year and a half. A system that takes us back in time. There is no hurry in Vega Sicilia. Considering the time that it takes for a certain vintage to make it to the stores you are guaranteed a wine with certain level of maturity and perfection when ready to be drank.

Retail Price Range in the U.S.: $180-$230 and be prepared to look for it as hard as you can. It is so hard to find because of its limited production and because only 100 stores in the U.S. carry it.

The wine is characteristically deep ruby red in color with a very full body and a great oaky cherry aroma and an amazing complexity that you get as you are pouring it out of the bottle. The complex notes on this wine include: oak, tobacco and coffee accompanied by a very long lasting taste. What Vega Sicilia would refer to as a ‘pedigree wine’. Once you take a sip, your mouth is so overwhelmed that as the wine starts going down your throat it almost feels like it is magically disappearing without giving you any alcohol sensation or bite.

This wine is a great pairing for complex flat breads with Délice de Bourgogne, Manchego cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly sliced ‘jabugo’ Pata Negra, Mangalica Ham or Aldo Adige Speck.

On a rating scale from 1 to 10 we give Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5 a perfect 10. This wine is so amazing. Drinking a Vega Sicilia is a lifetime experience and one of the most amazing ways of pampering your senses.

‘Pétalos’ a Spectacular Bierzo!!!

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‘Pétalos’ is the regional expression of ‘Mencia’ grapes from ‘Bierzo’. Aged 10 months in older French oak, it’s a great, accessible wine drawn from nearly 900 plots in the region, from 175 growers plus the ‘Descendientes de J. Palacios‘ own gear. This plush, elegant and floral wine with trademark roses and pepper tree aromas, bright and earthy at once, red fruits with roast meat juice. It’s savoury, elegant, satiny, dry, long, supple with sour cherries and dried sage.

‘Descendientes de J. Palacios’ wines are all based on a pure, mineral slate rock base- some featuring clay and others chalk, and all are bio-dynamic in viticulture. ‘Bierzo’ sits on the northwest boundary of Castile —old soils, very dry, and planted to ‘Mencia’— with the province of ‘Galicia’. Its actual regional location is the province of ‘Léon’. The local grape is ‘Mencia’.

‘Bierzo’ is a basin surrounded by four distinct mountain ranges, from which a number of significant rivers, most notably the ‘Sil’ (Xil in Gallego) carve their way west, draining central Spain to the coast via the low rivers (Rias Baixas) among which the coastal ‘Albariños’ are grown.  Along with the complex terroir, altitude and aspect options, keep in mind that ‘Bierzo’ is a fundamentally mixed continental Atlantic climate. ‘Bierzo’ is also historically famous as one of the traditional stops along the pilgrimage route to ‘Santiago de Compostela’.

‘Descendientes de J. Palacios‘ is one of three estates from the family of Alvaro Palacios. Alvaro’s personally named estate, is the leading producer of the great Priorat region southeast of Barcelona. The family ‘home’ is in the great Rioja Baja estate, Palacios Remondo. The ‘Bierzo’ project is their latest. The ‘Descendientes’ (descendants) are Alvaro and his nephew, Ricardo Perez Palacios; both are descendants of Alvaro’s dad, José who died in 2000, just as this project was getting started. The winery is in the village of ‘Villafranca de Bierzo’, below the mountain town of ‘Corullón’.

‘Descendientes de J. Palacios’ commenced in 1999. Their four estate wines are ‘Pétalos, Moncerbal, Las Lamas and La Faraona‘. All are based on a pure, mineral slate rock base – some featuring clay and others chalk. Alvaro and Ricardo have 40 hectares made up of over 300 such individual vineyard parcels, and all are bio-dynamic in viticulture. The region is green and mountainous, with fruit grown between 600-1000 metres of altitude. The resultant wines are fresh, fragrant and deep –juicy, lively and silky. The wines display a mixture of the gamey/meaty along with ravishing floral accents. Round and long fruit tannins harmonizing everything are always a feature. ‘Pétalos’ is from organic and/or bio-dynamic parcels.

Like with any other 100% ‘Bierzo/Mencia’ grape wines, the color of this wine is deep red. Fruity and peppery notes on the nose. Excellent harmony in the mouth with hints of: rose, black cherry and tobacco; the aging of this wine results in a well balance with enough tannins. On the palate, elegant and smooth. This wine pairs nicely with ‘arroces’ (rices), salads and meats. On a scale from 0-10 we give this wine an 8.9 Retail Price Range in the U.S.: $25-30 Overall, is an excellent wine alternative to ‘Riojas’ or ‘Ribera del Dueros’.

‘Pazo de Barrantes’ an Albariño from Rias Baixas With Strong Character!!!

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‘Pazo de Barrantes’ is the name of this delicious and crisp ‘Albariño Rias Baixas’ white wine that comes straight from the heart of ‘Galicia’ and that it’s made by the acclaimed ‘Marqués de Murrieta’ winery. As a matter of fact, this is the only wine made by ‘Marqués de Murrieta’ outside of the ‘La Rioja’ wine region. This wine shares the character, heritage and tradition of the ‘Marqués de Murrieta’ legacy.

The 2010 vintage comes with an unmistakable gorgeous yellow imprinted design. Without a doubt this is one of the best ‘Rias Baixas’ wines we’ve had  in a very long time. The winery is located in the city of ‘Pontevedra‘ —Province of ‘Galicia’— and was established in 1991 in what used to be a Galician palace also known as a ‘Pazo‘ (A type of Galician traditional housing similar to a manor house) in the 16th century. Hence the name of this wine is ‘Pazo de Barrantes’.

Like with any other 100% ‘Albariño’ grape wines, the color of this wine is between golden and pale yellow. Fruity notes on the nose. Excellent harmony in the mouth with hints of: pear, grape and raisins; the aging of this wine results in a well balanced, crisp taste with no tannins or dryness. On the palate, refreshing, crisp and elegant. This wine pairs nicely with seafood. On a scale from 0-10 we give this wine an 8.7 Retail Price Range in the U.S.: $25-32 Overall, is an excellent white wine that is a superb alternative to Pinot Grigio, Riesling or Chardonnay.

 

‘Marqués de Murrieta’ A Legacy From Rioja!!!

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This beautiful winery in the heart of ‘La Rioja’ is not only a great example of what world-class winemaking is about, but it also has a lot of history behind it. It’s founder ‘Don Luciano Francisco Ramón de Murrieta’ was not only one of the most loyal and renowned wine makers in the ‘Rioja’ region of Spain, but also a commander in the royal Spanish forces back in the 1840′s. In 1852, he filled 100 casks containing 72 liters of his wine and shipped them from Spain directly to Cuba and Mexico. In 1878, ‘Don Luciano’ purchased the ‘Ygay‘ Estate in the heart of ‘Logroño’, capital of ‘La Rioja’ and the legacy began.

 

 

 

In 1907 he was named Honorary Freeman of ‘La Rioja’, thanks to all his contributions to the wine industry, always helping the poor and supporting the advancement of the city. In 1911 ‘Don Luciano’ died without any heirs and his nephew ‘Julián de Olivares’ inherited the vineyard. In 1983, the Count of Creixell ‘Don Vicente Cebrián’  bought the winery and decided to make it one of the best wineries in the world. In 1996, ‘Don Vicente’ passed away at the very young age of 48 and it was then when his wife and children took over his work and decided to carry on with the saga.

 

 

 

 ‘Marqués de Murrieta’ Reserva 2005 is not only a great wine, but a wine that is moderately priced and very affordable. The wine has a full body and the distinguished character of the wines that come from the ‘Ygay‘ Estate.

The color is bright cherry with garnet glints. Musky notes on the nose. Excellent harmony in the mouth with hints of: blackberry, pepper and olives; the aging of this wine results in a well balanced, full-bodied taste with almost no tannins. On the palate, powerful, extraordinary and elegant. This wine pairs nicely with ‘Manchego’ or ‘Idiazabal’ cheese as well as with Venison Paté. On a scale from 0-10 we give this wine an 9.1 Retail Price Range in the U.S.: $22-28 Overall, is an excellent wine with elegance and sophistication for a very modest price.

 

The Perfect Tapas Night!

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No tapas night is complete without your favorite winebota filled with a delicious wine by your side. In our humble opinion, a perfect tapas night should start with a decent bottle of wine from Spain. Whether you like Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Bierzo, Penedes or any other wine region from Spain, you need to get a bottle of wine that it’s at least $13.00 Seriously, you can’t get a decent bottle of good wine for under $13.00

In this case we recommend a mid-price ‘Ribera del Duero’ called Mogar Vendimia Seleccionada 2006 by Bodegas Pagos de Mogar located in Valladolid, Spain. The color is bright ruby red. Fresh and complex notes on the nose. Excellent harmony that includes coffee, oak and berries aromas. On the palate, powerful and sophisticated. This wine pairs nicely with all types of cold cuts and cheeses. On a scale from 0-10 we give this wine an 8.6 Retail Price Range in the U.S.: $18-22 Overall is a good everyday wine.

Now, when it comes to food, you need good quality cold cuts straight from Spain. Some reputable makers are ‘Campofrío’, ‘Redondo Iglesias’, ‘Sanchéz Romero’, ‘Cinco Jotas’ or ‘Fermín’. Your tapas selection should include: ‘Jamón Serrano’, ‘Lomo Embuchado’ and ‘Chorizo Cantimpalo’.

 

When it comes to cheeses you can’t go wrong with a 3-6 month aged ‘Manchego’ or an ‘Idiazabal’ or a ‘Cabrales’. Additionally make sure you accompany everything with some good warm bread, olives in ‘aliño’, ‘Marcona’ almonds and ‘Piquillo’ peppers.

 

‘Matarromera Crianza 2007′ Good Wine from a Young Winery!!!

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This wine from the region of ‘Ribera del Duero’ is made 100% with tempranillo grapes by the Grupo Matarromera winery. A young winery established in 1988 by Carlos Moro and his family. This wine is aged for twelve months in French and American oak barrels before being bottled and making it to the market.

The color is deep cherry with purple glints. Fresh and sweet notes on the nose. Excellent harmony: strawberry, blackberry and figs; some hints of milky aromas; the ageing results in a clean and new wood with toast, coffee, vanilla, leather and cocoa aromas. On the palate, powerful, extraordinary backbone and elegant. Sweet polished tannins perfectly balanced with spicy and fruity flavours. Smooth and lingering finish.This wine pairs nicely with meats. On a scale from 0-10 we give this wine an 8.7 Retail Price Range in the U.S.: $28-37 Overall is a good everyday wine with some elegance and sophistication.

‘Hacienda Monasterio’ 2007 Another Great Ribera del Duero!

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‘Hacienda Monasterio’ is a wine produced by ‘Bodegas Hacienda Monasterio’ in Spain’s wine region of ‘Ribera del Duero’. Set in an estate of 160 hectares, of which 78 are planted with vineyards. It is located between Pesquera and Valbuena de Duero, two Duero valley towns famous for the quality of their wines including world acclaimed ‘Vega Sicilia’ (located not far from ‘Hacienda Monasterio’). Since 1990, famous winemaker Peter Sisseck directs ‘Bodega Hacienda Monasterio’, the main reason why he relocated from Denmark to Spain.

The current wine cellar was built betwen 1991 and 1992 and designed by the french architect Philippe Maziéres, who had previously worked for prestigious wine cellars such as Château Margaux and Château d’Yquem Prieure-Léchiné.

‘Hacienda Monasterio’ harvests grapes by hand and gathers them in plastic boxes in order to avoid damaging the grape. Once at the cellar and before the stripping, a first grape selection is carried out and all the grapes that do not meet their quality parameters are rejected. Grapes are not crushed. Fermentation is done only with natural yeasts. Its temperature depends on the harvest quality but usually it ranges between 28 and 32 degrees centigrade. After fermentation, the wine remains in contact with its solid parts for 2 or 3 weeks to get the perfect extraction of tannins. Malolactic fermentation is made in 100% French oak (Allier) barrels, with quarterly racking of each barrel (method: barrel to barrel). This method allows a very precise separation of the wine with its lees. After a period of 12 months ageing in French oak barrel, the wine is still clarified with fresh eggwhites to get a better stabilization of colour. Generally, the wine is bottled after 18 months of ageing in oak barrels, but the ageing time is adapted to the specific conditions of each vintage. Regardless, the entire range of ‘Hacienda Monasterio’ wines have a minimum of 12 months ageing in the bottle before reaching the market.

‘Hacienda Monasterio’ is full in taste and body. This wine has a beautiful deep purple color and the aroma of wild berries. This is a wine with complexity and a great wine for special occasions. Most remarkable notes: blackberry and tobacco. This wine pairs very nicely with seafood and mixed ‘paella’. Our Rating from 0-10= 9.1 Retail Price Range in the U.S.: $48-$55 and fairly easy to find at reputable wine stores in major cities of the U.S.

Five Great Picks for Wines from Spain Under $35.00!

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Not only we love these wines but they are also a great deal from a price-quality standpoint.
1. Rioja ‘Faustino I Gran Reserva 1996′ by Bodegas Faustino
2. Rioja ‘Campo Viejo Gran Reserva 2002′ by Bodegas Campo Viejo
3. Ribera del Duero ‘Condado de Haza 2004′ by Bodegas A. Fernández
4. Ribera del Duero ‘Mogar 2004 Roble’ by Bodegas Mogar
5. Rias Baixas ‘Albariño Laxas 2005′ by Bodegas As Laxas