NEW ARRIVALS

 

After some hectic weeks, we're back with our blog. As you may have noticed, we've made some minor changes in our website. Juts to inform you, these changes are the first stage of a significant web redesign that we plan to implement, slowly but steadily, over the following months.

Needless to say, despite the hard work we have not forgotten our tasting duties to our dear customers. After all, we're only in it for the wine

Today's selection comprises only white wines -but not the straightforward, uncomplicated, somewhat typical summer white wines-. At this time of the year, we thought that it would be interesting to explore more complex and refines products. So, here's our selection of classy autumn whites. We hope that you'll enjoy it as much as we did.

 

Pura Vida 2012 is a fragant white wine crafted by the Celler Underground winery in the northem Catalonian region of Costers del Segre. Made from Chardonnay and Macabeo, it was fermented with its lees for eight months and aged for a further three months in fine-grained oak barrels. Delicate and subtle, it has a lemon colour with golden tinges. On the nose, it displays aromas of ripe banana, aromatic herbs and some touches of quince and ripe peaches. Big, complex and evocative, it also suggests Riesling-like notes of hydrocarbons, along with white pepper and white flowers. Amazing.

 

The Àrid Vins winery presents Eòlic 2013. This is a varietal Sauvignon Blanc from Penedès coming from vines grown at an altitude of 800 metres above sea level. In this case, altitude and low rainfall result in a wine that is quite different from the usual Mediterranean Sauvignon Blancs. Aged on its lees for three months, it has a clean, bright, straw yellow colour with some greenish tinges. On the nose, aromas of ripe pears and apples, a touch of pineapple, hints of citrus and a dash of flint give way to a layer of white flowers and tropical aromas. The palate is fresh and supple, with flavours of pears, apples and greengage plums. Some hints of spring flowers, a well-balanced acidity and delicate lactic touches. Medium, fruity finish. Lovely.

 

Bodegas Aragonesas is one of the wineries our team has a soft spot for. A true rarity, Coto de Hayas Sólo Tiólico 2012 is a varietal Muscat of Alexandria with a unique profile. The wine was macerated for 4 hours, drawn off and then fermented at a temperature of 16ºC for 15 days in a protective atmosphere to preserve its aromatic compounds. Nice straw yellow colour, clean and bright. The nose is full of ripe yellow fruit, particularly pomelo and quince, but it also displays hints of passion fruit, dry herbs and a touch of petrol. Very complex. The palate is extremely pleasant, with notes of pastry, yogurt, withered flowers, cinnamon and, again, passion fruit. Sheer sensuality.

 

The Galician chapter of the prestigious Juan Gil Family, the Lagar de Condesa winery, presents Lagar de Condesa 2013, a varietal white made from Albariño, arguably Spain's most important white grape. Surprisingly complex despite its youth, first the grapes were cold-soaked with its skins and gently pressed to obtain a pristine wine must. Half of it was then transferred into stainless steel tanks, while the other half was put into 500-litre and 600-litre oak barrels. Once fermentation was completed, the wine was aged on its lees for over a period of 4 months. The resulting wine has a bright lemon colour with golden tinges, and on the nose it shows notes of ripe pineapple, baked apples and a refreshing layer of citrus, along with hints of vanilla, coco and pastry. The mouth is fresh and crisp. Notions of green apples, exotic spices, fennel, cinnamon and a remembrance of mint. Tense acidity and long, evocative, creamy finish. An excellent value.


Back to Catalonia, Ovum Xarel.lo 2013 is a sophisticated white crafted in Penedès by the Gramona winery, a company famed for its world-class sparkling wines that is also producing some remarkable still wines. This Ovum is a varietal xarel.lo fermented on its lees in egg-shaped vats and terracotta amphorae, a process that gives a distinctive organoleptic profile to the wine. Clean, bright, straw yellow colour with lemony tinges, the nose displays notes of honey, flowers, coco, yellow fruit and pollen. After some aeration, touches of vanilla, fennel and freshly-cut grass appear. As for the palate, the wine is lively and electric, showing a tense acidity, dim notes of herbs and a hint of citrus. Very refreshing, the wine is still quite young, so let it breathe before you drink it. If possible, we suggest that you keep a couple of bottles in your cellar for one or two years. You shouldn't miss this chance, for the Gramona winery rarely misses a shot.

 

Finally, Anayón Chardonnay 2011 is a white wine produced in the northern Spanish region of Cariñena by the Grandes Vinos y Viñedos winery. Both fermentations, alcoholic and malolactic, took place in oak barrels. Then the wine was aged for six months in those same barrels, with the lees being stirred three times a week throughout the process. Clean, golden yellow colour with an amber hue at the rim, this varietal Chardonnay has a luxurious nose that shows notes of ripe pineapple, English cream, coco and vanilla, along with some hints of flowers and a touch of smoke. Well-balanced on the palate, fresh and unctuous, with dominant notions of white fruit and flowers. The wine has a rock-solid acidity, a smooth texture and a medium-full body. Long, fragrant finish with some fruity and mineral remembrances.

 

Six white wines to feel the pulse of the dynamic, always interesting Spanish wine scene. Enjoy them!