Capçanes Montsant Peraj Petita Rosat 2017
Rose petal pink in the glass, the Capçanes Montsant Peraj Petita Rosat is crafted from 100% Grenache grown on steep clay and granite soil terraces. Interestingly, it’s made under the strict supervision of the Orthodox Union (OU) and is a kosher wine—aromatically speaking, it’s fairly bursting with aromas of bright pie cherries, almond paste, and […]
Arínzano Gran Vino Blanco 2014
In the North-Eastern corner of Spain, Arínzano’s estate vineyards are planted at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains, midway between the Rioja and Bordeaux. The 2014 Gran Vino Blanco is 100% Chardonnay, aged 11 months on new and used French oak. A profusion of yellow apples, pear, mandarin oranges, vanilla, smoke, whipped butter, and warm […]
Alvear 3 Miradas Vino de Pueblo 2016
I’m well acquainted with the excellent range of Fino, Amontillado, and Oloroso wines Alvear produces from the Pedro Ximénez grape. 3 Miradas Vino de Pueblo 2016 is a new endeavor for the winery, fermented under the veil of “velo de flor,” and aged in tinajas, traditional concrete tanks for eight months, it’s a dry wine […]
Belondrade y Lurton Rueda 2016
Typically light-bodied, this is a face of Verdejo I’ve not eperienced—Belondrade Y Lurton’s 2016 Verdejo has the unctuousness of a Mosel Spätlese with the fruit profile of a well-crafted Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, such is this wine’s shimmering depth and concentration. Opening with decadent aromas of dried pineapple, ripe cantaloupe, yellow peach, hazelnut, and flan, in the mouth […]
Gramona Cava III Lustros Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2011
Very pleased to taste this exquisite biodynamic Cava from Gramona after having visited the winery last year. Pale straw, the 2011 III Lustros Brut Nature is a blend of 75% Xarel·lo and 25% Macabeu. Seven years en tirage has graced it with a degree of depth that’s hard to find in most wines from this […]
Carlos Serres Rioja Viura Tempranillo Blanco 2016
From the historic Bodegas Carlos Serres, one of the first wineries to established in Haro, the heart of Rioja, is this blend of Viura and 15% Tempranillo Blanco. Lemon hued, it’s an old-school wine, with restrained aromatics of lemon drop, granulated honey, flint and just-melted candle wax. In the mouth, it’s softly textured—one feels a […]
Finca Viladellops Penedès Xarel·lo 2016
Located in the Garraf Massif, a rugged mountain massif that extends to the Mediterranean Sea, the soils found throughout Finca Viladellops’ 60 ha estate are low-fertility limestone-based soils studded with marine fossils and sediment. Aged in stainless tanks on fine lees, the 2016 Xarel·lo offers lilting, subtle aromas of pear and apple, prairie flowers, apple […]
Finca Viladellops Penedès Garnatxa 2016
A mineral-infused spine creates palate tension as it ripples through the juicy core of this 100% Garnaxta. Inviting aromas and flavors of roasted strawberries, cherry compote, warm raisin bread, loamy soil, and iron shavings wink in and out of an agile profile. On the palate, it’s medium bodied, and yet it feels light on its […]
Isaac Fernandez Mencía Ribeira Sacra Adrás 2015
Magenta in the glass with a clear meniscus, the 2015 Isaac Fernandez Adrás Mencia beckons with aromas of bing cherry, plum, vanilla, and cinnamon bark. It’s medium-bodied on the palate, with plentiful and chewy tannins that create a base layer to a vibrant acid backbone and spice-laden finish. A lovely food wine from a Spanish […]
Josep Masachs Mas Fi Cava Brut Rosé NV
From the Josep Masachs family, the Mas Fi Brut Rosé is a celebratory shade of salmon. Crafted with 100% estate-grown Trepat, delicate aromas of pie cherry, strawberry, apple blossom, and graham cracker are held aloft on a nose tickling net of fine buttles. It’s fresh on the palate, with just a hint of autolysis—no doubt […]